'^^i''' 
;• ^^'\ 








V''">^kK*''^>l^>« 






♦ 
























o > 







•^^ 







^^^^' 










'y*' 6 o " » . 





Frances 



FRANCES 

AND THE 

IRREPRESSIBLES 

AT 

BUENA VISTA FARM 




BY 

f ranees Crego jMontgomeri^ 

AUTHOR OF 

-Billy Whiskers' Series," "The Wonderful 

Electric Elephant," "On a Lark to the 

Planets," "Christmas with Santa Claus," 

etc. 



PROFUSELY ILLUSTRATED 




THE SAALFIELD PUBLISHING COMPANY 

NEW YORK AKRON, OHIO CHICAGO 



.^&' 






tiSIWYof CONGRESS 
Iwu Copies rtettfivtiu 

AUG 12 iB05 

jupyneni tnir> 
/X i 7 6-V- 

COPY B. 



ir 



COPYRIGHT, 1905, 
BY 

THE SAALFIELD PUBLISHING COMPANY 



MADE BY 

THE WERNER COMPANY 

AKRON, OHIO 



To all the little boys and girls whom 
I have taken so much pleasure in be- 
ing with and writing about, this book is 
lovingly dedicated. 



Contents. 



CHAPTER. PAGE. 

I The Start IS 

II The Arrival of The Irrepressibles 28 

III Preparing for the Vaudeville 36 

, IV Frances Buys a Lamb 39 

V The Night of the Vaudeville 50 

VI The Tramps 57 

VII Sally Smithers Rides in the Tally-ho 66 

VIII More Arrivals 79 

IX Stories and Plans 86 

X The Culprit 94 

XI New Projects . . loi 

XII Dorothy's Pranks 106 

XIII The Secret no 

XIV The Wedding and the Wedding Journey 117 

XV Dorothy Nearly Gets Drowned 124 

XVI Dorothy's Cyclone 132 

XVII The Children Get Supper 138 

XVIII The Fire Across the Lake I43 

XIX The Little Tots Get Into Mischief 150 

XX The Pigeons Are Stolen I55 

XXI The Luncheon 164 

XXII Chased by a Bull . 170 

XXIII Tehing Stories I73 

XXIV Are the Boys Drowned? 180 

XXV The Boys' Safe Return 188 

XXVI Off for the Cave 192 

XXVII Luncheon in the, Cave .197 

XXVIII Dorothy Gets into ^lore Mischief ' . 204 

i:: 



CHAPTER. PAGE. 

XXIX At the Foot of the Hidden Stairs 210 

XXX They All Go Hunting 214 

XXXI A Night of Adventure 221 

XXXII Selling Indian Relics . ' 227 

XXXIII Foraging by Moonlight 233 

XXXIV The Picnic 242 

XXXV The Circus 250 



X 



HUustrations. 



PAGE. 

Frances (a) .............. Frontispiece 

Alice Roselia (b) 80 

All the fowls got out 206 

"Ann Elizabeth, the 'Ughs' won't catch you" (c) . . . 175 

Ann Elizabeth Young (c) ............. 177 

Arthur Libby, with "Scott," the collie . . .• -67 

At a quarter-of-four, the load was ready 243 

Beatrice Gill (b) 74 

Boston terrier, "Teddy Roosevelt" (b) . . . . . . .■ . . . 160 

Bridge on the road to the farm ............. 24 

"Bufif," Frances' coUie (b) ,,.. 195 

Carrier Pig-eens, "Colonel" and his mate "Lady" . ' . . . . . . . . 156 

Caryl Botsford (b) . . . 59 

Caryl in Indian costume .............. 198 

Caryl in one of the canoes (d) ............ 228 

Caught in the wire ............... 43 

Champlain Kettle (b) "7^ 

Charles and Robert Donnelley, the twins (b) .......... 81 

"Colonel" and "Prince" ............. 245 

Colt and calf 27 

"Come and sit on the haycock'' ............ 103 

Dickey Doolittle on roller skates (e) . . . . . . • . . . -97 

"Doctor" Kettle vaccinating Alice Roselia (b) . . . . . . . . . 167 

Dorothy's Angora goat (d) . . . -49 

Dorothy making mud-pies ............. 133 

Dorothy ready for the tally-ho (b) . . . . . . . . . . . .29 

Dorothy was playing in the yard ............ 48 

Dorothy Winton 18 

xi 



PAGE. 

Dorrie Hildreth in a farm sun-bonnet (f) ......... . 112 

Dorrie's home ................ 122 

Estelle (g) 19 

Estelle near the cabin ....... ^ ...... 25 

Eugenea Kettle (b) .............. 30 

Eugenea's luncheon (b). . . . . . . . . . . . 165 

Flowers from the children's garden ........... loi 

Fond du Lac road ............... 169, 

"Foxie," a fox terrier .............. 193 

Gene and Arthur's ducks .............. 83 

Get a drink ................ 120 

Graveraet Young (c) .............. 107 

Gwendolyn Hamilton (b) ............. 236 

"Hero," the St. Bernard (h) ............. 225 

Hugh Brooks and his goats ............. 253 

In the chicken yard ............... 104 

Lady Diana (g) 151 

Lake de Neveu ............... 148 

Little fluffy chickens that she dearly loved .......... 134 

LoHta Ogden (i) 41 

"Marquise," cocker-spaniel ............. 255 

Mrs. Smithers, Sally's mother ............. 118 

Munro dressed for the wedding (k) . . . . . . . . . . . 113 

Natalie Donnelley (1) 89 

"Ned," Regis' dog (m) 223 

North side of farmhouse, showing loggia (n) . ......... 144 

One of Estelle's kodak pictures ............ 171 

One of the entrances to the cave ............ 212 

Paddling in the shallow water ............ 246 

Petting one of the colts .............. 208 

Playing under the tree . . . . . . . ... • • • • 124 

"Prince" .............••••• 22 

Regis Lynch ............... 33 

Robert Libby (b) ' 46 

"Snow-Ball," Dorothy's Angora kitty ............ 31 

'■Tell-a-Bell," "Roy" and "Pinkey" (o) 127 

xii 



PAGE. 

The calf that frightened Dorothy ........... 38 

The children take turns in driving ............ 102 

The cow they milked (m) ............. 202 

The Farm cows ............... 47 

The Farmhouse (n) .............. 25 

The Football Boys (b) 251 

The grate in the living-room ............ 18S 

The hay-ride ................ 85 

The kittens Dorothy stole (o) ............ IS4 

The steps to the lake (n) ............. 125 

The swing (n) ............... 16 

The spring-house .............. i73 

The twins at the milk-house ............. 82 

The tally-ho Sally rode in ........... . 77 

The quiet old cows ............... 84 

Their costumes were funny (b) ............ SZ 

They were blackened up like darkies (b) . . ' . . . . . . . -56 

Tom Tatters ............... 161 

Top of bluff near cave .............. 186 

"To-To," King Charles spaniel ............ Z7 

Trying to dam up the little stream . . . . . ... . . . . . 205 

"We will surely miss the train !" called Frances ......... i7 

Where Regis fell in the milk ............. 141 

Where they set the traps ............. 93 

William Libby and "Scott" (b) 216 

"Zephyr" and "Maria" I94 



Note.— Illustrations indicated are from originals by the following photographers, who ex- 
tended us the courtesy of their use : 

(a) La Marche & Shaw (h) Gardiner 

(b) Everett L. Shaw (i) R- Bitterlich 

(c) M. J. Steffens (k) The Matzene Co. 

(d) Bernard La Marche (1) Jameson, Pittsburg 

(e) Henshel (m) Fred A. Elliott 

(f) Johnson Bros. (n) T. W. Hamil 

(g) G. W. Varney (0) Ellsworth Gross 



(Tbaracters in the Stor^g. 



-The Winton children 



Estelle Winton 

Munro Winton 

/•Frances Winton 

Dorothy Winton 

Diana Winton 

Champlain Kettle 1 „ , , . 

> Brother and sister 
Eugenea Kettle j 

William Libby (also called Bill.) , ^ , 

" Brothers 



"Brothers and sisters 



Arthur Libby 

Robert Libby, Cousin to William and Arthur 

Gravaraet Young ) ^ , , . 

V Brother and sister 
Ann Elizabeth Young ) 

Natalie Donnelley 

Alice Roselia Donnelley 

Charles Donnelley ") 

„ y Twins 
Robert Donnelley ) 

Regis Lynch 

Lolita Ogden 

Caryl Botsford (also called Bots and Botsford) 

Gwendolyn Hamilton 

Dorrie Hildreth 

Beatrice Gill 

~\ Dickey Doolittle 

Kitty Tidbit 

Sally Smithers 

George Wilder 

Tom Tatters 

Hugh Brooks 

Madame de Neveu (owner of the farm) 

Miss Amelia de Neveu 



[oa 
Deborah, Jennie, Mary (nurses); John (hired man); Tramps; Policemen. 



. _ aughters of Madame de Neveu 
Miss Elizabeth de Neveu 



XIV 



Chapter I. 

THE START. 



G 



OODIE! goodie! Here comes the expressman for our trunks," exclaimed 
an excited little girl, who was standing by the window evidently watching 
for some one. With her brother, sisters, and nurse, she was leaving that 
morning for a summer vacation, which was to be passed with several 
little friends on a lovely farm on Lake de Neveu, six miles from Fond 
du Lac, Wisconsin. 
These children enjoyed far better going to this farm than to the seashore, moun- 
tains, or any fashionable resort. It was one of the most attractive places one could 
imagine for, healthy, romping, growing children to pass a summer in, as there was 
everything for them to have fun with from fishing and sailing on the lake to riding 
on loads of hay and building log cabins in the woods. These were some of the pas- 
times the older children enjoyed while the younger ones were happy playing round the 
house. There always were new little kittens and puppies to be inspected each year and 
divided among the youngsters after much arguing and disputing as to which was the 
prettiest, and as to who was entitled to first choice. Then there were the little, fluffy, 
yellow chickens just out of their shells, and last but not least, there was the swing ; 
yes, the swing, and such a glorious one you never saw in all your life, so I am going 
to describe it to you minutely. In the first place it was hung from a high curved limb 
of a tall elm tree, so high that no ladder on the farm could reach it, so they had to 
wait until the men came along to mend the telegraph wires, when, having boots with 
long nails in them to help them climb the poles, Miss Amelia would ask them to put up 
the rope for the swing. The advantage of having such a long rope was that the 
swing went so high that the earth seemed dropping away and one could see across the 
lake at the bottom of the hill and far away over the tree tops for miles and miles where 
the country faded into a purple mist. This swing was the beloved object of all the 
children who came to the farm and was the first thing they went to on arriving. 

Then the rambling old farmhouse was a constant delight to the children, with 

15 



i6 



FRANCES AND THE IRREPRESSIBLES 



its new additions of a room here, a veranda or covered porch there, and its many cozy 
nooks and corners. Owing to its being built on the side hill, it had the appearance 
from the front of being two stories high, while from the back it showed three stories. 

Over the kitchen had been built a large, square, covered loggia which was used 
as a dining-room on hot nights. Here it was always cool, and while at tea one could 
enjoy the beauties of the sunset and listen to the old robins chirping their little ones to 
sleep, or to the lowing of the cows as they came hurrying home to be milked 




THE SWING. 



But I must not forget to tell yovi of the living-room with its six large windows 
commanding a view of the surrounding country. This room opened into the loggia, 
before spoken of, and also upon the wide front porch. It had a slippery hardwood 
floor, a big open chimney built of boulders, where log fires were kindled on cool 
evenings and round which the children gathered to pop corn and to toast apples, while 



AT BUENA \'ISTA FARM 



17 



at the same time listening to the music of the angehis or piano, or to some one singing. 
This was a glorious room for dancing, and for private theatricals, charades, etc., as 
it had a suite of rooms opening from it that could be used for dressing-rooms. On 
the tables, mantels, and walls were — trophies, pictures, and photographs 

of the people and children who % had at different times visited the 



farm ; all sent in loving re 
times spent here. I will 
about the house and 
get acquainted with 
the story goes on, but 
enough to introduce 
little French ma 
charming daughters 
Every one, old and 
madame "mother," 
able little body, pe 
soft white hair done 
and with quaint lit 
witty sayings. She 
little French mar 
wilds of Wisconsin 
of the door to meet 
Her daughters are no 
though young ladies, 
frolic, and ever ready to 
have supper on the lawn at 
ing here the year round they 
for the summer to liven them 
pie come year after year, they 
friends, and madame declares 
children are her grand-chil 
them, while they are equally 
Now I will return to the 
children got started for the 




"WE WILI. SURELY MISS 

THE TRAIN IF YOU 

DON'T HURRY," CALLED 

FRANCES. 



membrance of the good 
not tell you any more 
farm but will let you 
them for yourselves as 
I must stop long 
you to the dearest 
dame and her two 
who own the place, 
young, calls the 
she is such an ador- 
j tite in figure, with 
1 in pufifs and curls, 
tie manners and 
reminds one of a 
quise lost in the 
when she steps out 
and greet her guests, 
-less attractive, and al- 
are full of fun and 
go on a picnic or to 
half an hour's notice. Liv- 
always take a few boarders 
up a bit and as the same peo- 
seem more like relatives than 
that she feels as if the 
dren she is so attached to 
fond of her. 
city and tell you how the 



farm. 

"Mamma, hurry, quick, Thomas is at the front door. I can hear the horses champing 
their bits. We will surely miss the train if you don't hurry," called Frances, Mrs. 



FRANCES AND THE IRREPRESSIBLES 



Winton's ten-year-old daughter who was always afraid of getting left. She had been 
sitting in the hall for the last half hour with her big rag doll, nearly as large as her- 
self, on one arm and a small satchel hung over the other. 

Frances' little sister Dorothy was the sweetest, prettiest, most mischievous 

bit of pink and white humanity that jk one could wish to see. She was rarelv 



still for more than a minute at 
worn out going up and down 
ing to every one's business 
the time : "Amn't me a 
packed ?" That her good 
people up and causing J^^^ 




a time and to-day was nearly 
stairs so, many times, attend- 
but her own and saying all 
dood dirl, helpin' oo det 
intentions were mixing 
all sorts of delays can 

which required careful • and regular brushing. This hair 

was a most fitting crown to a Dorothy winton. sweet, serious, oval face with 

large, brown eyes, long lashes, and perfectly formed eyebrows. 

"Deborah, have you seen my hair-brush anywhere?" asked Estelle, as the nurse 
came into the room. 

"No, miss, I have not." 



AT BUENA VISTA FARM 



19 



"Shissy, me packed oor hair-brush long ado "cause me knew 00 would want it."' 
''Oh, you little mischief ! If 30U would only go down stairs and stay with Frances 
you would save lots of bother." 

"Ale wasn't boverin'. Me was only helpin' 00," said Dorothy, her eyes swimming 



in tears. To think that her sister 

broke her heart, when she was 

had packed the hair-brush 

think that a queer place 

don't know what you 

you that she also i^* 

rubbers in the crown ,^^ 

white hat and stuck 

candy in the bosom 

dress shirt. 

"Rattlety bang ! 
came a sound from 
one had fallen the 
stairs ; and sure 
had. Dorothy, on 
room had spied a roll 
a shawl strap at the 
ready to be carried 
diately gathered it up in 
time trying to carry a 
treasures. As she took the 
and went rolling, over and 




should consider her a bother nearly 

only trying her best to help and 

in the lunch basket. Do you 

to pack a hair-brush? I 

will say when I tell 

packed her muddy 

of her sister's best 

a piece of molasses 

of her brother's 

bumpety bump ! " 

the hall as if some 

whole length of the 

enough some one 

leaving Estelle's 

of wraps done up in 

head of the stairs, 

down, and she imme- 

her arms, at the same 

: tin pail filled with her 

first step she lost her balance 

over, to the foot of the stairs. 



still clinging to the roll of ESTElle. shawls, and it was the little 

pail that made all the noise as it hit against the hard wood 

of the steps. She was not hurt in the . least but only badly frightened, 
for the soft roll of wraps had eased her fa-11 and prelected her, but she thought 
she was killed and so howled accordingly until Frails came to her rescue and 
kissed the places where she said she was hurt, making her laugh by showing 
her how she had bent the little tin pail all out of shape, and taking her 
to the mirror to show her how she looked with W|jf mashed hat hanging over one ear. 

Sunny smiles soon follow tear clouds with children, and Dorothy forgot her trou- 
bles when mamma called to Frances that thev would all be down in a minute and that 



20 FRANCES AND THE IRREPRESSIBLES 

she should take Dorothy out to the carriage, so that she could not get into any more 
mischief. 

"All ready ! Muddy dear, I have done your errand," called a boy's cheery voice, 
as a handsome, manly lad of fourteen came bounding into the front door. "Shall I 
carry your satchel down or has some one done so already?" 

This lad was Munro Winton, the only son and pride of his father, the idol 
of his mother and sisters, for he was manly, generous, and thoughtful, and his disposi- 
tion was as kind as his face was good to look at. 

"Munny, Munny! Me wants a jink," called Dorothy from the carriage. "Me's 
most dead for it and shissy says me must stay in carriage or me will det left. 'Deed, 
Munny, Ise been here most a million hours waitin' to do, and evybody is so slow Ise 
most dot de fidgets." 

"All right, tot. Stay where you are and I will bring you the drink." 

Bang went the carriage door at last, crack went the lash of the whip, and they 
were ofi. 

Mamma sank back among the cushions and gave a sigh of relief, saying as she 
did so : "It is as bad getting a family of children ofif for their vacation as it is getting 
started for Europe, for there is so much that can only be done at the last moment. 
EIow quiet the house will seem when you are gone ! You have never all left 
me at one time before, but I know Deborah will look after you, and if any of you should 
get ill I cottld come to you in a few hours." 

"Mamma, look, look, Estelle and Munny are passin' us !" 

Sure enough Munro and Estelle, who were driving to the station in the pony-cart, 
had just passed them. The ponies were to be shipped to the farm so the children could 
have them to drive in the country. 

"Mamma, I am afraid Caryl is going to get left," said Frances as they sat in the 
waiting-room while Munro was getting the trunks checked. Caryl Botsford was one 
of the children who were to spend the summer with them on the farm. He was to meet 
them at the depot and go on the same train. 

"Dere he is ! Dere he is !" cried Dorothy, as a slender boy of ten, with refined, 
delicate features, kind brown eyes and light curly hair cropped short, came toward 
them. His manner was quiet and slightly bashful ; and he blushed crimson when he sat 
on the seat beside Dorothy and she threw her arms around his neck, giving him a 
smacking kiss that every one sitting near heard. Caryl lived next door to the Winton 's 
and Dorothy was very fond of him, but he preferred Frances, who was nearer his own 
age, and they were great chums. 



AT BUENA VISTA FARM 21 

"Caryl, what made 00 have oor pretty quirls cut off?" asked Dorothy as she took 
off his cap and commenced running her fingers through his hair. 

"Mamma, do make Dorothy stop mauHng Caryl," said Frances. 

"Me isn't maulin' him, me's only pettin' him," replied Dorothy in an indignant voice. 
"Oo likes to be petted, doesn't 00?" asked the little one as she turned her head to 
one side like a little bird and looked into his iace. "Shissy is jealous, isn't her?" 
laughed Dorothy. 

"All aboard for the Milwaukee and St. Paul train !" called the station crier and 
Dorothy nearly fell off her seat in her haste to get Pinky and Rosy, her two dolls, 
from Deborah's lap. 

"Dis is our train. Tome, Debba, hurry ! kick ! Take my hand so me won't det 
loosed." 

"Mamma, why don't sister and Munro come?" asked Frances. 

"Probably there has been some delay about getting the ponies and cart shipped. 
Munro had to see to getting them off on another train as they would not let them go on 
ours. Here comes Estelle now, so we will get on the train and wait for brother there." 

Presently they were all seated in the parlor-car watching other people come in and 
take their seats. Miss Dorothy planted herself in one seat with her dolls beside her 
and refused to move even when the porter told her that was not her chair. 

"Yes, 'tis. Me dot it fustest." 

"Dorothy, Dorothy ! Jump down and come here. This chair is just as nice." 

"No, it isn't, 'cause it won't whirl around only half way and dis one does all de 
way round. I know 'cause Fse tried." 

"Mercy ! What a spoiled child," said a sour-faced lady sitting opposite. 

"Me isn't spoiled. Oo is spoiled 'cause oor face is wrinkled up like a baked apple." 

Just then the conductor called, "All aboard!" and it was just as well that he did, 
for it helped to cover the lady's confusion at Dorothy's remark and Deborah's 
mortification at the rudeness of her little charge. In the confusion that followed 
saying good-bye to mamma, who was not going with them, Dorothy's naughtiness 
was forgotten. 

"Choo, choo! hiss, hiss!" puffed the engine and they were off, but where was 
Munro ? 

"He is left ! He is left !" exclaimed Frances ; but no, he swung himself on just 
as the train started, after giving mamma a parting hug while she was charging him to 
look after the girls. 

"Well ! we are off at last," said Estelle. "I do hate the confusion and delay one 



22 



FRANCES AND THE IRREPRESSIBLES 



has after reaching the depot and before the train starts, for I am always afraid that 
some one will get left." 

"Debba, I'se tired lookin' at dese homely shanties and dirty chillun. Why don't 
we det into de country where dere is a woods and some cows to look at ?" 

"We will soon, pet. We have not had time to get ont of the suburbs yet." 
"What's sububs, Debba?" 

"All these houses you are looking at make the suburbs. Quick, quick ! We are 
going over a bridge. See that boat !" 

"But what dirty water ! Me wouldn't like to det drowned in it. Would oo, 
shissy ?" 

As soon as they were beyond the suburbs Dorothy sat quietly looking out of the 
window for some time, talking to Rosy and Pinky while she held them so they might 
look out too. Estelle began to read, while the other children talked and planned what 
they would do when they first got to the farm. They wondered who Avould meet them 
and what horses and rigs they would bring to the depot. 
"Let us guess on it," said Munro. 

They all consented, and Caryl guessed that Miss Amelia would bring the double 

carriage and drive Prince and Colonel, and that Miss 
Elizabeth would drive her blacks. Fleet and Presto, 
hitched to the three-seated buck-board. Each sister 
had her own horses and neither of them drove 
those belonging to the other. 

"Which do you guess, Frances?" 
"I guess that Miss Amelia will drive in the single 
buggy and Miss Elizabeth in the buck-board." 

"Dinnah is now served in the dining-car," called 
the colored waiter, and this put a stop to the guess- 
ing, for all were hungry and they decided to go in 
for the second call, for then they would have plenty of 




PRINCE. 

at once and not wait 
time. 



"Dearie, go with Deborah and let her wash your face and hands and we will 
save a place for you," said Estelle to Dorothy. 

"Me don't want to be washed. Me is clean as can be," and she held up two dirty 
little hands for inspection. 

"Yes, dear, you must ; and sister will order some nice chicken and have it all ready 
for you when you come." 



AT BUENA VISTA FARM 23 

"We-el, if 00 won't eat a bit till me tomes." 

"No, we won't." 

Presently they were seated in the dining-car with Estelle, Munro, Frances, and 
Caryl at one table, and Dorothy and Deborah at another. Dorothy's face fell when she 
saw that she was not to sit with the others, but that could not be helped as there was 
only room for four at each table. Soon they heard Deborah laughing and when they 
asked what she was laughing about, she said it was at the things Dorothy had or- 
dered. 

"What did she order?" asked Frances. 

"I told her I would read the menu to her and when I came to anything she liked, 
she was to tell me. The only thing she ordered on the whole bill was chicken, until I 
came to the desserts and then she ordered every one not even skipping coffee which 
she dearly loves but is not allowed to have at home.'' 

"Shissy, tan't me have ice cream, blue belly pie, watermelon, 'ittle, tiny cakes, and 
some nuts like dat gentleman has over dere?" pointing her finger at the gentleman 
Avho sat at the table on the opposite side of the car. "Shissy, I want all of um. I 
don't want any potatoes or corn or salad or nuffin' but only dust ice cream, pie, and 
dessert." 

"Darling, you never eat that way at home. Why should you on the train?" 

" 'Cause mamma won't let me eat mixy at home so me wants to now. It's such fun 
'cause me likes um all and amn't hungry for nuffin' else." 

"Dearie, you mustn't say *amn't.' How often have we told you to say 'am not,' 
instead ?" 

"I tant bover sayin' it, shissy. It takes too long." 

At three-fifty the train pulled in at Fond du Lac, with four little heads sticking 
out of the windows to see who could get the first glimpse of whoever came to meet 
them. 

"There they are ! There they are !" they all cried at once, as they neared the depot 
and saw Miss Elizabeth sitting in the buck-board waiting for them, and Miss Amelia 
standing on the platform ready to help them off the train. In less than three minutes 
they were kissing and hugging Miss Amelia and all talking at once. 

While Estelle and Miss Amelia looked after the trunks, the others climbed 
into the buck-board with Miss Elizabeth, leaving the buggy for Miss Amelia and 
Estelle. 

"Miss Isabeth, me Is doin' to sit on de front seat and help 00 to drive," an- 



24 



FRANCES AND THE IRREPRESSIBLES 



nounced Dorothy, who was a prime favorite with Miss EHzabeth. "Me don't want 
Debba to hold me. Me wants her to sit ahind, 'cause me is a bid dirl now and don't 
have to be holded in any more." 

"Very well, dear. There is plenty of room so Deborah can sit with Caryl on the 
next seat, and Munro and Frances can sit on the back one." 

It was beautiful to see the devotion and love existing between these "two lovers" 
as they were called. From the time Frances was born, Munro had idolized her and as 
she grew older she returned this love with interest, so they were seldom seen apart 
though Munro was four years older than she. . 

As Deborah was rather fleshy, Caryl let her have the seat to herself while he 
climbed in beside Munro and Frances, who were nothing loth as the seat was wide 
and they were both fond of Caryl. 

Deborah kept tight hold of the back of Dorothy's dress, not letting her know she 
was doing so, however, for Miss Dorothy would have objected. As it was, she kept 
turning round to be sure that she was not being held. 

Soon they were out of Fond du Lac and driving along a pretty country road to- 
ward Buena Vista, as the farm was called. With hats off, they sang merrily as they 
drove, laughing heartily when Miss Elizabeth drove over a big bump in the road and 
nearly bounced them off their seats, which they considered great fun. Rattlety bang, 
up hill and down they went, over bridges and through the woods, until they came in 

sight of the lake, and the beloved farmhouse at top of the 
hill. Then they all gave three cheers at the sight and 
asked Miss Elizabeth to drive faster as they were in such 
a hurry to get there. 

"I see muzzer ! I see muzzer !" cried Dorothy as she 
saw Madame de Neveu standing on the porch waving 
her handkerchief at them. 

They had not been on the farm half an hour before 
they had scurried all over it to take a peep at this place, 
and a look at that, had tested the swing and had drunk 
from the spring at the foot of the hill. Even the pigs 
were visited and the chicken house inspected, to say noth- 
ing of the little new calves and colts they had admired in the stable-yard. 

While looking at the calves, Munro commenced to laugh and when they asked 
him what he was having so much fun over all by himself, he replied : 




BRIDGE ON THE ROAD TO 
THE FARM. 




O 

< — 

H 



AT BUENA VISTA FARM 



27 



"Frances, do you remember the day you went into the lot where the six little 
calves were, and while you were feeding one, another came up behind you and chewed 
the back breadth of your dress nearly ofif? That is 
what I was laughing about." 

'T should think I did remember it ; and when I 
got it out of his mouth I found it was all chewed 
into pulp. I felt terribly because it was one of my 
favorite dresses, a pink gingham trimmed with 
white braid, and I suppose the calf liked the taste 
of the starch that was in it." 

"There goes the supper horn. Come, we must 
hurry !" cried Munro. "It's a good thing they blow 
a horn here for meals instead of ringing a bell, for if colt and CAL,t. 

they did not we would never hear it, as we are always over at the barn or down by 
the lake and no bell could be heard so far away." 





(Tbaptcr 2. 

ARRIVAL OF THE IRREPRESSIBLES. 

HILE at supper, Miss Amelia told the children that she had just received 
a letter saying that more of their playmates would arrive to-morrow, that 
they were coming without their parents and were expected to be on their 
good behavior and take care of themselves. 

"Goodie, goodie ! I am so glad they are coming to-morrow for that 
will add to our band," said Frances. 
"You don't mean to say that you have all learned to play and have formed your- 
selves into a band, do you ?" asked Miss Elizabeth. 

"Oh, no," answered Munro, "Frances means another kind of a band, like a band 
of Indians. We call ourselves 'The Irrepressibles' and most of us play on some kind 
of an instrument. How we happened to call ourselves the 'Irrepressibles' came about 
in this way. One day as we were marching along the sidewalk, playing on jews- 
harps, m.outh-organs, accordions, and a second-hand hand-organ, we heard a gentle- 
man sitting on a veranda say to his wife, 'Those children are perfectly irrepressible ! I 
wonder what they will be up to next. Did you ever hear such a racket?' Every one 
of us was playing a different tune on a different instrument. My ! but it was fun to 
see how the people on their front steps and verandas squirmed at the discords we 
were making as we marched round the block. When we got home I suggested that 
'The Irrepressibles' would be a good name for us and the others agreed, so we have 
called ourselves that ever since." 

"Miss Isabeth, is Wobert comin' to-morrow too, 'cause I want to see him terrible 
bad," said Dorothy. 

"No, dear, Robert and his mamma are not coming until the end of the week." 
Robert was a little three-year-old boy that Dorothy was very fond of, and sorry 
to say, she led him into many scrapes. 

"Miss Amelia, can't we all go to meet them in the tally-ho?" asked Frances. "It 
would be such fun." 

28 



AT BUENA VISTA 



29 



"Certainly you can, my dear, and Miinro can see if he has forg-otten how to blow 
the tally-ho horn that he played so well last year." 

"Indeed I have not forgotten and I know that I shall be able to blow the ears off 
the horses this year if I try." 

At exactly three-fifteen o'clock the next 
day the six black horses with the red rosettes 
on their bridles stood before the door, hitched 
to the red and black tally-ho, ready for the six- 
mile drive to Fond du Lac to meet the coming 
"Irrepressibles." 

Munro with the tally-ho horn climbed up 
beside the driver, while Frances and Caryl sat 
on the seat behind them, with Dorothy and 
Estelle on the back seat. Dorothy wanted to 
ride on the inside with her two dolls but they 
coaxed her to ride on top, knowing that she 
would roll around like a pea in its pod, if 
allowed to sit inside the empty coach. 

"Oh, my ! I has dropped Pinky. Don't 
do, John, 'cause I tan't do wivout her. Rosy 
would kye her eyes out if her were left 
ahind." 

"Won't you leave the dolls at home, 
Dorothy? We won't be gone long and Deb- 
orah will take good care of them until you 
come back,'' said Estelle. 

"No, I tan't go wivout um. Dey would 
det whoopin' cough if I left um ahind." 

"Well, hold on tightly to them then." 

With a pink doll squeezed under each arm 
she was satisfied, and sat on the high seat be- 
side her sister, as they bowled along over the 
road, Munro blowing the horn whenever they 
saw anyone coming or when they passed a dorothy ready for the tai.ly-ho. 
farmhouse. 

The children thought they had never enjoyed anything more, but they were always 




30 



FRANCES AND THE IRREPRESSIBLES 



thinking this and saying they had had "the time of their lives," whenever they happened 
to have a good time. 

Through the streets of Fond du Lac went the tally-ho until it drew up before the 
depot. They had but a few minutes to wait, when the whistle of the approaching train 
was heard. Then for the next few minutes all was confusion as they welcomed the 
children with hugs and kisses, stored their wraps and satchels inside the tally-ho, and 

climbed into the seats on top. 

Had you looked at them when they 
started, you would have said that you had 
never seen a prettier lot of children 
together. Beside the Winton children, 
whom you are already acquainted with, 
there were five others. First, there was 
Regis Lynch, aged twelve, who had 
saucy, laughing grey eyes and light curly 
hair. Then there was Dickey Doolittle, 
a timid, girlish-looking boy, with large, 
dull brown eyes and pouting lips, who 
always talked with a drawl or whine. 
A good mate for him was Kitty Tidbit, a 
little girl of eight, who was as busy a 
piece of humanity for her size as one 
could find. She was as active and play- 
ful as a kitten and apparently had as many 
lives, for she was continually getting into 
scrapes and as often managing to come 
out alive. She could plan more mischief 
than ten other children put together. 
Then there was Eugenea Kettle, a hand- 
some girl of ten, a perfect blonde with 
wide-open blue eyes. Last but not least came Lolita Ogden, an only child of fond 
parents, and who was worshiped accordingly. She had a strong character which she 
had inherited from her grandfather and if she wanted a thing, she wanted it very much 
and never gave up until she got it, although it might take her days to do so. This per- 
sistence was another family trait. She was very fond of animals and had all kinds 
of pets in her city home as well as here in the country. 




EUGENEA KETTLE. 



AT BUENA VISTA FARM 



31 



It is difficult to remember who is who, when one is introduced to so many new 
children at once, but 3'ou will soon be able to remember them when they all reach the 
farm and begin playing. 

There was a pony and horse for each child, also a dog or cat, beside other pets too 
numerous to mention, as every child was allowed to have as a pet whatever he or she 
particularly fancied and it was like going to a 
menagerie to visit all their cages and houses. 
There were pigs and guinea pigs, pigeons and 
fancy fowls of all kinds. The largest dog on the 
farm was Hero, a St. Bernard, the smallest a 
Mexican dog named Chiquita. Then there were 
two Boston terriers, a fox terrier, a cocker 
spaniel, a hunting dog, a King Charles spaniel, a 
skye terrier, two Scotch collies, a French poodle, 
and cats without number, not forgetting a fine 
Angora goat and some little kids and lambs. 

These pets were always kept at the farm the 
year round and one would have thought that 
bedlam was let loose when all the children and 
dogs got together, especially at the beginning of 
their annual visit, for the dogs nearly lost their 
heads with joy every time the children came to 
the farm. Instead of keeping the dogs all, in one 
place their houses were scattered throughout the 
grounds, and for fun, the children had named 
them "the police brigade," as any tramp that hap- 
pened to go straggling through the grounds was likely to have a piece taken out of his 
trousers, or to be held by the dog-police until some one came to the rescue. 

Little Lolita had some white mice that she dearly loved and would let them run 
round her neck and hide in her hair or down her nightgown sleeves. Frances hated 
mice as much as Lolita loved them and Lolita, being a great tease, would often make 
Frances do just as she wanted her to, on penalty of putting the mice in her bed at 
night. But at last Frances found something that Lolita was afraid of, and this was 
a snake, so when Lolita said, "If you don't do what I want you to, I'll put the mice in 
your bed," Frances replied : "Very well ! on your peril, for I will return the compli- 
ment by putting that squirming green garter snake in yours." This generally ended 
the matter and they would call quits. 




SNOW BALL, DOROTHY'S ANGORA 
KITTY. 



Z'Z FRANCES AND THE IRREPRESSIBLES 

The very first night of their annual visit, as the children sat on the loggia watch- 
ing the moon come up and the fireflies flitting here and there through the grass, they 
planned what they were going to do the next day, and, in fact, for many days to comcj 
as the work they had laid out would take a long while. It was nothing less than build- 
ing a log cabin in the woods about a half mile from the house, which they could use as 
a playhouse during their stay on the farm. Miss Amelia said the logs were there and 
that the frame work was already up for a one-storied cabin with a loft, and that if 
they cared to finish it they could do so and have it for their own. 

"And now I will tell you what I will do for you," Miss Elizabeth said. 'T will 
give you land enough just outside of the woods in which the cabin is built, to make a 
garden and then we will buy all the vegetables you can raise for our table. This will 
give you all some healthy work to do which will be just like play. The girls can 
plant flower-seeds and tend to the flowers, which we will also buy to decorate our 
home ; and they can make curtains of dotted muslin and pretty creton covers for old 
chairs and boxes to be used for seats, hem napkins and tablecloths, and fill pillows 
with balsam needles to put on the couches and window seats. You might give a pink 
tea or a vaudeville entertainment and charge twenty-five cents admission, and with 
the proceeds buy kitchen utensils, dishes, and furniture for your cabin, and then you 
would be ready to set up housekeeping on the co-operative plan." 

"Oh, Miss Elizabeth ! It is too heavenly an idea to be true. Think what fun we 
can have doing all those things !" exclaimed The Irrepressibles in chorus. 

"What shall we name it?" asked Frances, "for our place must have a name." 

"I'll tell you what," said Eugenea. "We will each suggest a name and then vote 
on which is prettiest." 

Here are some of the names that v;ere mentioned : "Toy Villa," "Circus Nest," 
"Jungle Den," "Robbers' Roost," "Wood Peckers' Cabin," "Birds' Nest," "Elm Boughs," 
because a big elm tree spread its boughs above it, "The Rest," and "Hazel Hurst," as 
it was half hidden by hazel bushes. After much arguing and discussion a vote was 
taken, and "Elm Boughs" getting the most votes, that name was agreed upon. 

The children were so excited over this new scheme that they could not sleep for 
thinking of it and all were up bright and early the next morning. Even before the dew 
was off the grass Munro and Frances, Regis and Lolita, went over before breakfast 
to inspect the site of the new cabin. They found it exceeded their greatest expecta- 
tions. The hazel bushes crowned the hill and in their midst, looming above them like 
a giant over pygmies, stood a huge elm tree with wide-spreading boughs, under which 
the cabin had been commenced. By clearing out a few hazel bushes one could get a 




Regis Lyxch 

(33) 



AT BUENA VISTA FARM 



35 



beautiful and extensive view of the country, with a gUmpse of Lake de Neveu in the 
distance. 

All day long for a week, came the sound of hammer and ax from the top of the 
hill where the cabin was being completed and just outside the thicket could be seen boys 
and girls at work spading, raking, and plant- 
ing seeds, flowers and vegetables, in the 
new garden. While some of the girls helped 
make garden, others sat on the veranda at home 
and were taught how to sew and hem by Estelle 
and Deborah. At the end of two Aveeks the cabin 
was ready to move into and everything was in 
apple-pie order even to the window boxes filled 
with scarlet geraniums and other bright, blooming 
flowers. Now, all that was to be done was to 
give the vaudeville to raise funds for the furniture 
and dishes. It was decided to hold the perform- 
ance in the cabin and to light the grounds with 
Chinese lanterns and to serve lemonade and 
ice-cream under the trees. Madam de Neveu 
said she would donate a large carpet rug for 
the cabin and Miss Elizabeth gave them three 
lamps with lovely red Chinese shades on them, 
while Miss Amelia gave them an old mohair-covered couch, and a large hammock to be 
swung inside in one corner of the cabin. 




estelle; near the cabin. 



Chapter 3* 



PREPARING FOR THE VAUDEVILLE. 



I. Chorus The Irrepressibles. 

II. Tableau — Sleeping Beauty Lolita Ogden, Regis Lynch. 

III. Clog Dancing Munro Winton, Regis Lynch. 

IV. Song with Harp Accompaniment Estelle Winton. 

V. Darky Hoe-down Kitty Tidbit, Dickey Doolittle. 

VI. Tableau — Little Boy Blue Robert Libby. 

,,-,-j. I Fancy Bow-and-arrow Shooting. 

• [Indian-club Swinging . Caryl Botsford. 

VIII. Tableau — Little Bo-peep Dorothy Winton. 

IX. Tableau — Dutch girl at spinning wheel Eugenea Kettle. 

X. Trained Dogs Munro Winton, Director. 

XL Tableau — ;Cinderella Frances Winton. 

XII. Cake-walk The Irrepressibles. 

HE above was the program mapped out for the performance that was to 
take place a week hence. You can imagine the hustle, bustle, and work 
it entailed to get the costumes ready for the tableaux and the dresses 
for the cake-walk, to say nothing of training the dogs so that they would 
go through with their parts before a crowd. All this made many trips 
to Fond du Lac necessary, to buy Turkey red calico for the drop-curtain, 
spangles and tulle for Cinderella's costume and blue over-alls for Little Boy Blue, 
etc. 

'T think we ought to have a stage-manager and costume-designer like they have at 
really-truly theatres so as to stop all this arguing and confusion," said Regis, "and I 
for one choose Munro for stage-manager." 

"No, you don't, young fellow ! Thanks awfully, but I decline the honor and pass 
it over to you, as I have not the ability. I am more fitted to be the stage carpenter." 
"You are too modest," replied Regis. 

36 




AT BUENA VISTA FARM 



37 




TO-TO, KING CHARLES 
SPANIEIv. 



"That is all right," said Frances. Let us elect them stage-manager and carpenter 
and that will settle it." 

"Very well, say we do ; for you know the stage carpenter is just as important as 
the manager, for without him there would be no scenes or 
curtains," said Lolita. 

"Say, Dickey ! You ought to be a soup," said Kitty. 
"You know you are so fond of it that you put it in your 
lap as well as in your mouth." She had reference to 
Dickey's spilling a plate of soup in his lap the day before. 

"You don't know what a 'supe' is, you greeny, retorted 
Dickey. 
. "Oh, don't I ? Smarty ! Well, I do !" 

"Oh, stop your quarreling. You two are always sa3dng 
nasty things to each other and I expect you will be kicking 
each other before your dance is over, when you are doing 
the hoe-down," said Frances. 

"I expect we will," said Kitty, "or making faces at 
each other to see who has the largest mouth when we get 
our lips painted red," and they both began to laugh good-naturedly again. 

"Ise doin' to be 'ittle Bo-peep and have a 'ittle wolly seeps det lost and tome back 
'out any tail and Ise doin' to have a sticky-out dress all pink and blue on, 'cause big 
shissy said so." (She always called Estelle "big shissy" and Frances just "shissy.") 
"Wobert he doin' to be 'ittle Boy Boo and do fast asleep. Won't he be a 'ittle tupid !" 

"Gene, you will make a fine Dutch girl because you look so Dutch to begin with," 
said Regis in a teasing voice. 

This brought Gene's wrath upon him and she commenced to pound him over the 
head with her work-bag, until he made his escape by climbing over the railing of the 
loggia and dropping to the ground some ten or tvv^elve feet below. This started them 
all up and when Munro called out, "Let's go and play in the hay-mow," they jumped 
up in a hurry, upsetting chairs and work-baskets in their haste to be ofif. Some dropped 
over the side of the loggia as Regis had done, while others ran for the steps or through 
the house, whichever way they thought was shortest, and they had scarcely touched 
the ground when each child was followed by his or her particular dog running barking 
at their heels. 

Down went Gene as Munro's big St. Bernar-d ran against her and Dickey soon 
followed suit when his little fox terrier ran between his legs upsetting him. Some 



FRANCES AND THE IRREPRESSIBLES 



went straight to the barn while others went by way of the spring to get a drink. For 
half an hour all was still around the house as on a Sabbath day, until cries of distress 
were. heard coming from the stables. Deborah recognized the voice immediately as 
Dorothy's and started on a run, to be met by Munro carrying her and Frances walking 
beside them trying to soothe her. 

When Miss Dorothy saw Deborah coming she renewed her howls to excite sym- 
pathy, but she had no need to do that for poor Deborah was already so weak from 
fright that she could scarcely run. Poor Deborah ! She loved her little charge so 
well that she had thoroughly spoiled her and made her a little tyrant. 

"What is the matter, darling pet? Did Deborah's lamb fall and hurt itself?" they 
heard her calling as she ran along. On reaching them she gathered Dorothy into her 
arms and rocked her back and forth covenng her face with kisses, cooing to her all 
the time, "Tell its own Deborah how it got hurt." 

"I wa — was playin' in de hay and I — I stepped 
in a hole and felled froo wight on top of a 'ittle calf's 
back and he spilled me off in de dirty cow stable. 
Dere now! Isn't he a nasty mean calf to do dat? 
Him was so hard him most broke my back when I 
felled on him." 

"Well, never mind, precious, you will be all 
right in a minute, and just think, you scared the 
little calf so he won't grow any more for a month, 
I know." 

At this Dorothy commenced to laugh, as she 
was not hurt, only well shaken up and frightened. 
"Kiss sister and Munny, pettie. We will go back to the other children and you 
can go to the house and get a warm ginger-cake, for I smell some cooking." 




the: calf that frightened 

DOROTHY. 



Chapter 4. 

FRANCES BUYS A LAMB. 



WHO wants to go to town with me ?" asked Munro at the breakfast table the 
next morning. "Don't all speak at once for there will only be room for 
three besides myself in the runabout." 

"Me does ! Me does !" called out Dorothy. 

"I did not include you with the others, Dorothy, because you are 
too little." 
"Me is not 'ittle at all. Ise a bid dirl now wiv pettincoats on." 
"Never mind, Dorothy. You don't want to go with them. You may go with me 
to meet Robert and his mamma who are coming this afternoon," said Miss Amelia. 

"Goodie ! Goodie ! Dere now, Mr. Munny, some one wants me if you don't," 
said the sensitive little girl, who always hid her hurt feelings under a saucy reply if 
she possibly could do so. 

"I was thinking of going in on horseback, but if you are intending to drive 
the span I can't," said Frances, "so I might as well go with you. Lolita has promised 
to make our drop-curtain for us, so I think she should go in and buy the stuff as it 
will take a long time to make it." 

"I don't want to go," said Gene, "for I must work on the pillow-cover I am 
embroidering or I won't be able to finish it for the entertainment. I must have some 
red silk for my pinks, so if one of you would kindly get it for me I would be much 
obliged." 

"I will get it for you," said Lolita, "as I have to go to that store for spangles for 
our dresses, while Frances goes and gets a wig for Regis. He has to have one when 
he is dressed as a prince in the tableau of 'The Sleeping Beauty.' " 

"He will have to go and have it tried on, so he had better make the fourth one 
of our party," said Munro. "Dickey and Caryl are going over to the cabin to finish 
the spiral steps we put around the big elm that looms up above it, and see that the 
seats are secure before any of you girls sit on them and find yourselves falling out 

39 



40 FRANCES AND THE IRREPRESSIBLES 

of the tree. I know Kitty is too busy tacking the vines tip over the cabin door to go 
along. But we will bring her a bag of fresh, salted peanuts for staying at home and 
working." 

An hour after breakfast the children were in their pony cart on their way to 
Fond du Lac. 

"Oh, mercy ! Look behind," said Frances, just after they had started and the bay 
ponies were speeding along. "The dogs are following us." 

And sure enough, there was Hero and Buff, who should have known better, and 
Ned and Zephyr tagging on behind. 

"Hero, go back, I am ashamed of you !" called Munro. 

"Buff, what are you thinking about to follow us? I never knew you to do so 
before," scolded Frances. 

"Here, you rascal, I will give you no supper if you don't light out for home this 
minute," called Regis and before Lolita had time to say anything to Zephyr she was 
running back so fast that she looked like a ball of white yarn rolling along in the dusty 
road. 

"I don't blame them for wanting to follow, but I am afraid something might 
happen to them if we let them go with us," said Frances. 

"Here comes a drove of sheep. Shall we stand still and let them pass or shall we 
keep in the middle of the road and let them look. out for themselves?" asked Munro. 
"I'll drive slowly and let them take care of themselves and go each side of me, I 
think." 

"There must be over a hundred and fifty of them," said Regis. 

"Oh ! what a cunning little lamb. Munro, do stop and see if the man won't sell it 
to me," cried Frances. "Ask him, Munro, do." 

"What in the world would you do with it if you did get it? It is too young to eat 
grass and it would die without its mother's milk." 

"No, it won't, for I will feed it from a bottle." 

When the flock had passed and they came to the men who were driving them, 
Munro stopped the ponies and asked the man who seemed to be the boss if he would 
sell that youngest lamb in the front of the flock. 

"Yes, and I will be glad to, as we are going to drive these sheep to Milwaukee 
and that is a good long ways off for so young a lamb to walk. It will probably die by 
the way, so you are welcome to it and I will sell it for a dollar." 

It was one thing to say he would sell it and another thing to catch it, and the 
man with his two sons had to call for the help of Munro and Regis before they finally 




LOLITA OgDEN 

(41) 



AT BUENA VISTA FARM 



43 



succeeded in capturing the little creature. The lamb's mother seemed to know what 
was up the minute they approached her for she called her baby to her side and made 
for the middle of the flock. In went one of the farmer's boys after her. As soon as 
she saw this she ran to the edge of the road and tried to hide in the bushes with two 
or three other sheep following her as if to protect her. When one of the boys 
thought he had the lamb and reached out to catch it, it would run under its m.other's 
legs and come out on the other side and run off. This it did repeatedly until every 
one was getting tired and cross, when another farmer came along and his dog fright- 
ened the sheep so by barking at them that they all turned around and started for 
home. Then the farmer rode his horse to head them off and Frances ran to the front 
and spread her dress out and jumped up and down to drive them back, while the farmer 
caught the dog which had made all the trouble and put him into the wagon with him. 
At last they grabbed the little lamb as it tried to crawl through a barbed-wire fence 
for its fleece got caught in the wire and before it 
could loosen itself Munro had pounced upon it. 

Then Frances gave the farmer the dollar and 
thanked him for his trouble and they drove on to 
Fond du Lac with the tired, frightened little lamb 
between her and Lolita. 

"Oh, isn't he a beauty !" said Lolita. "See what 
a sweet little face he has." 

"Yes, when we get to town I will buy a nice 
blue ribbon for its neck and a little silver bell so I 
can tell where it is when I let it loose," said 
Frances. 

"Bah! Bah!" cried the lamb for its mother, as it was getting hungry. 

"Whatever shall we do ?" said Frances. "It won't keep still and it wiggles and 
squirms so we can't keep it between us any longer. It tries to suck my fingers or ears 
all the time !" 

"Put it in the bottom of the cart and when we get to town you can go to the bakery 
and get some milk for it," said Munro. 

"Do drive fast, for it is making me wild to hear it cry all the time." 

"This is as bad as having a crying baby along," said Regis. "Let's 
round its neck and tie it to the fence along the road until we come back." 

"Indeed, I won't !" said Frances. "Some one would steal it." 




CAUGHT IN THE WIRE. 



put a rope 



44 FRANCES AND THE IRREPRESSIBLES 

"Well, you can never shop with it along unless some one stays in the cart to watch 
it, for it would jump out and break its neck," said Regis. 

"I have it," said Munro. "We can put it in that old shed of the Withers', in the 
field back from the road, for it is far enough away so no one can hear it cry, and then 
when we come back we can stop and get it, and that will prevent all bother of having 
it in town." 

To this Frances consented and the little lamb was soon shut in the shed to await 
their return. "Mercy me !" she sighed, "I never should have bought it had I known 
what a nuisance it was going to be." 

Presently they were on the main street in the town, each busy with his or her 
purchases. As fast as they were bought they stored them away under the seats in the 
cart. At half past ten they were to meet at the confectioner's to have ice-cream and 
cake too-ether. While they were waiting to be served, they read aloud their shopping 
lists to see that nothing had been forgotten — all but Regis who had trusted to his 
memory. 

"It seems to me as if I have forgotten something," he said, "but I can't 'disremem- 
ber' what it is, as the darkies say." 

"I think I have everything," said Lolita. "I matched Gene's silk, got the calico 
for the curtains, some hairpins for Maggie the cook, a yard of ruching for Miss 
Amelia, and the latest magazine for Miss Elizabeth." 

"Well! I bought the things Miss Amelia wanted at the grocery, the Paris green 
for the potato bugs, the China aster seed for our garden, and — Oh ! that reminds me, 
Munro, did you order the young tomato plants?" 

"I went to the place but the man was all sold out and said I would have to drive 
out to his garden and get some on our way home." 

"Oh, no, we can't, for if we do that, we won't go by where the lamb is." 

"Oh, bother the lamb ! It is a regular nuisance and you have not yet had it half 
a day. I bet before you are through with it that it eats up all the things in the garden 
and does a lot of damage, and when it gets older it will be worse than it is now." 

"I can't help it. We must get it for we can't leave it there to starve. See what I 
liave," and Frances proceeded to unroll a blue paper parcel and out rolled a baby's 
nursing bottle with a black nipple on it. "Now, when I get through with my ice- 
cream I am going to get the girl that waits on us to fill it with milk and then on the 
way home I will feed my lambkin, so there!" 

"By jinks ! I forgot to get those nails and spikes and the wire netting to fence 
in my young ducks," exclaimed Regis. 



AT BUENA VISTA FARM 



45 



"Aren't you a little previous in fencing in your ducks before they are out of the 
shell? That is even worse than counting chickens before they are hatched," laughed 
Munro. 

"That is all right. I believe in being ahead of time. If I had been last year I 
should not have lost my partridges. Do you remember how I put those partridge eggs 
we found, under an old hen, and how the very day they hatched they ran av/ay? The 
saucy little beggars!" said Regis. 

"My! your strawberry sundae looks good," said Lolita, 'T wish I had ordered it 
instead of this chocolate ice-cream." 

"I think yours looks the best, so if you want to change, pass it over and I will 
give you my sundae," said Regis. 

"Don't you want my lemon squash?" asked Munro of Frances. 

"No, thank you. I prefer m}' vanilla ice-cream. I always take it, and no other 
kind." 

'T don't," said Regis, "I always try all the new things and sometimes I get awfully 
left, for they are terrible messes occasionally and taste like hair oil or some kind of 
medicine." 

"]\Iercy goodness! Look what time it is! We must hurry out of here or we 
won't get home in time for dinner," said Frances. 

After buying some candy and salted peanuts to take to the children at home, they 
climbed into the cart and started off at a smart pace, ^^''hen about two-thirds of the 
way home they spied the shed where they had left the lamb. But what was the door 
doing open? They soon discovered why, for out came three boys, one of them carry- 
ing their lamb. 

"Oh, hurry! hurry! Munro. They are stealing my lam.b. Call to them." 

]\Iunro called in such a loud voice and whipped up the horses so, that he scared 
the boy with the lamb, who, with the others, took to his heels and disappeared down 
the hill. 

"Here, girls, take these reins," said Alunro, throwing them over the back of the 
seat, as he and Regis jumped out and gave chase to the boys. Munro took the long 
cart-whip with him intending to give them a good thrashing if they objected to 
giving up the lamb. Down the hill into the ravine went the boys vrith the lamb, 
but when they saw the newcomers were gaining on them, they dropped it and made 
for the thicket where they could hide. 

"Oh, Lolita ! I do hope our boys can get it." 

"I do too, but I know bv the wav thev climbed out of the cart that they are 



46 



FRANCES AND THE IRREPRESSIBLES 



just spoiling for a fight and I hope they will not have to have one to get the lamb." 
Presently two heads appeared coming up from the ravine and the girls saw that 
Munro had the lamb in his arms, holding its jaws together so it could not cry. 

"Oh, Munro, you mean thing to do that," cried Frances, when she saw what he 
was up to. "It will smother." 

"No, my dears, lambs like other animals breathe through their noses. I was afraid it 

would make its throat sore if it cried too much." 

"Give it to me this minute and I will give it 
some milk and end all its troubles." 

This was easier said than done. At first it shut 
its mouth and would not take the nipple and when 
pressed to do it, backed itself off the seat. Then 
Lolita held it while Frances pried its mouth open 
and poured some of the milk down its throat. When 
the lamb got the taste of milk it licked its chops and 
then took hold of the nipple and tugged away like 
any little roly-poly baby, and soon the bottle was 
empty and the lamb asleep on Frances's lap. 

"While it is asleep I am going to tie the ribbon 
with the bell on it round its neck. There now, don't 
it look too sweet and cunning for anything? Do 
turn round and look, boys." 

"I see. You will have to give it to Dorothy," 
said Munro, "for the minute she lays eyes on it she 
will begin to tease for it." 

In a short time they reached home and were 
soon unloading, with all the children helping to 
carry things, at the same time asking questions as to 
when, where, and how they had got the lamib. 

Just as the dinner horn blew. Miss Amelia and 
Dorothv drove in at the gate with Mrs. Libby and 
her little son, Robert. Dorothy's face was beaming 
and she was happy, for her little playfellow had 
come and she treated him as if he were a baby to be 
looked after, though he was only two months younger than she was. 

"Debba, see Wobert. Isn't him cute wiv his hair cut Dutch fashion and wiv 




ROBERT LIBBY. 



AT BUENA VISTA FARM 



47 



'ittle slippers on ? Him's dot some blue over-alls in de trunk, 'cause him mamma sed 
so. Den him be a real boy in trousers when he dets um on, won't him ? Now him is 
a dirl like me, 'cause him has dresses on." 

"Dorothy, bring Robert and come see what I have in the front yard under the lilac 
bush," said Frances. 

"What oo dot, shissy?" 

"Never mind but come and see." 

"Bah! bah!" cried the lamb, as it saw some one coming, and ran to the end of its 
rope to meet them. 

"Oh, oo dear 'ittle hunsey, bunsey lamkins ! Is it for me?" cried Dorothy as she 
let go of Robert's hand so she could reach it quicker. 

"No, dearie, it is mine. I bought it in town to-day." 

"Shissy, dear, sweet shissy, do div um to me. Ise want um so bad. 'Deed I do, 
I most sick for um," begged Dorothy with her pleading eyes and baby tongue. 

"Dearie, don't tease sister. I can't bear to be teased and you have already coaxed 
everything I have away from me, even to Rosy and Pinky." 

"But, shissy, dear, I do want um so bad. See how he likes me. He is kissin' me 
and tryin' to whisper in my ear. No, him is tryin' to chew my ear up. Stop dat, you 
naughty lamb!" 

"You and Robert stay here and I will go and 
get some milk so that you can see how he takes 
his dinner out of a bottle." 

"Oh, goodie ! goodie !" cried Dorothy, clap- 
ping her hands with delight, and then stopping 
all of a sudden to pounce on Robert and hug and 
kiss him for the hundredth time. But this time 
she hugged him so hard that they both toppled 
over onto the lamb. 

"Dorothy, you must stop hugging and kiss- 
ing Robert so much, for if you don't there will 
be nothing left of him by to-morrow ; and see, you have nearly crushed the lamb," said 
Deborah. 

The next day Dorothy was playing in the yard when John, the man who looked 
after the farm, drove out of the gate with bags of wheat and corn he was taking to the 
mill. Dorothy on seeing him called out : 

"John, oh, John ! Where are oo doin' ? I want to do too. Wait for me," and 




THE FARM CO^^'S. 



48 



FRANCES AND THE IRREPRESSIBLES 




DOROTHY WAS PLAYJNG IN THE 
YARD. 



she ran as fast as her Httle legs would carry her. John got off the wagon and set her 
up on the seat beside him. 

Deborah, who was always on the watch, saw it all and nodded to John that she 
could go, as the mill was only a mile and a half from the farm and Dorothy always liked 
to go there. On the way, they had to pass a house where lived a poor man with ten 
children of all ages and sizes, but all had tow-colored hair. As they approached the 
house, Dorothy heard a baby cry and, on the pretext of getting a drink at the well, 

coaxed John to stop, but in her mind was a much 
more serious scheme than to get some water. It 
was nothing more or less than to try to coax the 
farmer's wife to sell her one of her curly, tow-headed 
children. If Frances would not give her the lamb, 
she would get something nicer and then all the other 
children would be envious ! Thus reasoned Miss 
Dorothy. 

As she walked up the path she noticed the door 
was open and when she got nearer she could see a 
woman rocking a cradle, from which the cries of a 
young infant could be heard. When she reached 
the door she walked boldly in, for you must know that fear and bashfulness were alike 
unknown to Dorothy. If she wanted a thing she went straight for it. The baby's 
cries drowned the sound of her feet on the steps, and when the mother turned her head 
and saw a little tot standing there she gave a start and asked, rather sharply, what she 
wanted. 

Dorothy hesitated for a minute before she spoke and then said : 
'T tame to buy de baby." 

"Oh, you funny little thing. Did you think because I had so many children "that 
I would be willing to sell them like I do my potatoes ?" 

"Yes, um," said Dorothy. "Do oo care if I look at it," she said, as she sidled up 
to the cradle. 

"Certainly not. You can look at it all you want to." 

"Oh, my ! Didn't oo notice dat de angel had made a mistake and left oo an 
Indian baby dis time instead of a white baby with white head like de ussers ?" asked 
Dorothy in surprise. 

This remark made the woman laugh heartily and she said, "What do you mean by 
calling my baby an Indian baby ?" 



AT BUENA VISTA FARM 



49 



"Why, don't oo see how red its face is?" exclaimed Dorothy, "and it has black 
hair dat stands up dust like de Indian babies'." 

"Come along, Dorothy," called John. "Are you going to drink the well dry?" 

"I dess I must do 'cause John is callin' me, but I don't want to buy oor baby 
'cause it is an Indian and I want a white baby, not a red one. Why don't oo tell de 
angel oo don't want dis kind of a baby? I dess if oo don't mind I will take dat 'ittle 
boy of oors with blue eyes and quirly hair, who is out by de gate, though I would 
rather have a baby in long tlose dan a 'ittle boy in pants, 'cause I have one 'ittle boy 
all ready to play wiv. Haven't oo any more 'ittle girl-babies in oor cupboard or 
cellar?" 

At this the woman screamed so with laughter that she frightened Dorothy, who 
ran out to John and told him to drive on quickly. 

When John asked her what kept her so long and she told him, he too, was con- 
vulsed with laughter and shook so he nearly fell off the wagon seat, but he did not 
dare let Dorothy know he was laughing so he pretended to cough and she, thinking 
he was choking, cHmbed up on the seat and pounded him on the back as hard as she 
could, for Deborah always did so with her when she choked. This nearly caused 
John to have a spasm, especially 
when she bent her head and 
looked in his face with alarm writ- 
ten all over her sweet little counte- 
nance and asked, "Is oo better 
now? Did oo swallow oor tobacco 
de wrong way dat made oo 
choke?" 

When they got back from the 
mill and Dorothy was telling how 
she had tried to buy a baby 
" 'cause Frances wouldn't div me 

, 1 u 'wu 11 1 t, J ^u DOROTHY'S ANGORA GOAT. 

her lamb, they all laughed them- 
selves nearly sick. Frances told her she would buy her an Angora goat as a birthday 
present, but as her birthday was a good ways off she could call the lamb hers and play 
with it just the same as if it really belonged to her. 





Chapter 5. 

THE NIGHT OF THE VAUDEVILLE. 

T LAST the long-waited for day of the vaudeville arrived, with a clear sky 
overhead which they were truly thankful for, because rain would have 
spoiled everything. They expected a big crowd, as all the tickets had 
been sold which they had left in Fond du Lac as well as lots of others, 
which they had sold themselves to the country people who drove by 
Buena Vista Farm. 
The children were all up at six o'clock and working like beavers, for there were 
still many things to do before night. Munro and Regis were busy over the stage set- 
tings and getting the curtains in good working order. Caryl and Dickey were to drive 
to the schoolhouse on the hill and bring back all the chairs and benches, while the girls 
were to decorate the cabin with flags, ferns, and flowers and then all were to help hang 
the Chinese lanterns in the trees under which the tables for lemonade and ice-cream 
were to stand. Before and after the performance, refreshments were to be served by 
the girls dressed in gay costumes with little ruffled white aprons and dainty caps. Miss 
Elizabeth and Estelle were to be behind the scenes, to see that the performers' cos- 
tumes were on straight and to look after things generally, while Miss Amelia was to 
see to the refreshments and dish out the ice cream from behind some bushes that hid 
the huge freezers, tubs of lemonade, and baskets of cake. She called it her summer- 
kitchen. At two o'clock they were to have a dress rehearsal. The public performance 
was to begin at eight o'clock, but the sale of refreshments would begin at seven. 

Such excitement you never saw, for everyone went around like a chicken with its 
head off. 

"Oh, I can't find the crown of my costume !"' cried Frances. 

"What do you think! Cinderella's glass slipper is lost," exclaimed Lolita. It 
had been put away so carefully for fear of its getting broken that now it could not be 
found. 

"Oh ! how I do hate to look for anything," said Frances. "It always takes so long 

50 



AT BUENA VISTA FARM 51 

that it seems like time lost. I hear Dorothy crying. What can be the matter now, I 
wonder? I bet she has fallen down and skinned her nose so she can't be in the 
tableau !" 

Stepping from the long room into the loggia where she could get a good view of 
the grounds, she spied Deborah leading Dorothy by the hand. She had fallen into 
the spring head first, and was wringing wet from head to foot, the water dripping off 
at every move. 

"How in the world did you come to fall in, Dorothy?" 

"1 was divin' my dolly a baf and she slipped out my hand and when I reached for 
her I fell in. My! but it was cold!" and at the remembrance of it she began to cry 
anew. 

"Frances, Frances ! Do come here and see how perfectly lovely Lolita looks m 
her Sleeping Beauty costume with the silver spangles sewed all over it," cried Gene. 

As Frances appeared Lolita threw herself on a couch, letting one hand drop 
limply beside her and she certainly did look as sweet and pretty as any sleeping beauty 
we read about in fairy tales. While lying thus, Kitty tiptoed up and tickled her, which 
surprised her so that she screamed as if a pin had been stuck into her. When she saw 
who did it she picked up the train of her dress and gave chase, losing both slippers 
and her belt as up and down stairs they went, and no telling what dreadful thing would 
have happened had she succeeded in catching Kitty, but she caught her dress in a vine 
on the summer-house, as she ran in one door while Kitty scooted out the other. This 
stopped her and with the threat : "Just wait until I catch you," she went into the 
house. 

By seven o'clock, the country people and visitors from town began to arrive and 
hitch their horses to the fence of the woods in which the cabin was built. As the 
children fluttered here and there and the lanterns swung to and fro shedding their 
many-colored Hghts on the scene, the picture was an attractive one. 

Some of the visitors climbed the winding stairs that were built around the trunk 
of the huge elm tree, and sat on the comfortable seats amid its boughs, while the limbs 
swung them as if in a cradle, and looking down they could get a good view of the new 
arrivals. 

"Too-diddle-do ! Too-diddle-do !" rolled out the notes of the tally-ho horn as 
Munro blew it from the door of the cabin to call all stragglers about the grounds and 
under the trees, to the performance which was about to begin. 

When they were all nicely seated a little bell rang, and up rolled the curtain dis- 
closing the Band of Irrepressibles formed in a semi-circle on the stage. At a signal 



52 FRANCES AND THE IRREPRESSIBLES 

from Munro they began to sing a beautiful melody with many solo parts in it, which 
ended in a most taking chorus. When the curtain fell the piece was greeted with an 
enthusiastic encore. Then it rolled up again and they sang a most laughable darky 
song, which literally brought down the house and aroused the boys in the audience to 
whistle and cheer for more. 

The next thing on the program was the tableau of "The Sleeping Beauty." Tinkle, 
tinkle, tinkle, went the little bell, and a hush of expectancy fell on the audience. 
When the curtain went up it disclosed a dark room, with a jeweled swinging lamp 
hanging- over a couch on which lay Lolita as the Sleeping Beauty, in a fluffy white 
dress all spangled with silver. One hand hung over the edge of the couch and from it 
had fallen a crimson rose. Over her bent Regis, gazing intently as if enchanted by 
her beauty. He was costumed as a prince, in blue velvet trimmed with ermine and a 
sword hung from his side. He made as handsome a prince as one ever gazed upon, 
with his light curly hair apd fair skin. As for Lolita, she was a dream of loveliness. 
They had at first intended making their costumes, but at the last had sent to Chicago for 
them and these attractive ones had been sent out. 

The next thing on the program was the clog dancing by Munro and Regis. They 
were dressed in white duck knickerbockers, white ruffled shirts, and scarlet sashes 
knotted at their sides after the manner of the toreadors. They danced beautifully to- 
gether and kept perfect time while they went through some very difficult steps. 

After this, Estelle played on a large golden harp. She wore a wreath of white 
roses in her hair, a sweeping white dress with a golden girdle and tiny gold slippers. 
She played such a sweet pathetic piece that it brought the tears to the eyes of many 
in her audience. 

To cheer them up agam, they had a fuimy negro hoe-down by Kitty and Dickey 
dressed in gay colors with their faces blackened. Kitty made a perfect darky and 
rolled her big eyes around and stuck out her red painted lips, until she made the audi- 
ence scream with laughter. 

Number six on the program was another tableau which represented Little Boy 
Blue fast asleep beside a large haycock of real hay, and Robert certainly did look 
cunning as he lay there with his little blue overalls on and his tiny rake by his side. 
Just as the curtain fell, Dorothy called out, "Don't open oor eyes, Wobert, de curtain 
amn't down yet." This of course made every one laugh. 

Dorothy had been so impressed with the fact that she and Robert must keep their 
eyes shut if they were allowed to be in the tableaux, that this was all she could think 
about. 



AT BUENA VISTA FARM 55 

Next, there was a display of fancy arrow shooting and Indian-club swinging by 
Caryl, which made numbers of the audience say: "Oh, my! Did you see that?" or, 
"How can he do that, I wonder!" or, "Did you see the medals on his breast that he 
has won by being champion?" 

Tinkle, tinkle, tinkle, and again the curtain rolls up and we have a view of Little 
Bo-peep dressed in a flowered panniered dress, 'all sticky-out at the sides' (as she 
called her panniers), with a big yellow straw hat with pink roses on it, tied under her 
chin with blue ribbons. She was supposed to be fast asleep, while her Httle flock of 
lambs were seen running away in the background. These lambs were represented by 
woolly white toy-sheep rented from a toy store and were made to run away by people 
behind the scenes pulling them about by strings. 

In the midst of the tableaux, Dorothy yawned, rubbed her eyes and opened them, 
grinned at the audience and then fell back on the haycock she was sitting against, as if 
dead. The audience laughed and clapiped and exclaimed : "Isn't she too cute for any- 
thing !" Munro who was watching her knew she was going to speak, so he motioned 
for the curtain to be lowered. As it touched the floor, Estelle came from the back of 
the stage and told Dorothy she must keep still as the curtain was going up again in 
a minute. 

"I don't want to sit here. Ise tired keepin' my eyes shut." She said this so loud 
that the audience heard it and laughed and clapped, whistled and called for another 
view, so the curtain was raised, showing Dorothy standing, leaning on her beribboned 
staff, gazing at them, while Estelle's skirt was just disappearing from sight as she 
dodged, behind the scenes. 

"Shissy says I must keep my eyes shut, but I tan't. Ise goin' to peak my piece 
to 00. Little Bo-peep losted all her seep and didn't know where to find um. Leave 
um alone and dey will tome home tarryin' deir tails ahind um." Then with a danc- 
ing-school bow she ran off the stage. Everyone thought that what she had done had 
been part of the performance, while The Irrepressibles were too surprised to even 
ring down the curtain. 

Number nine on the program was Gene at the spinning wheel. She was dressed 
as a Dutch girl, with a blonde wig which had long braids. Her costume was the typi- 
cal Dutch one with black velvet bodice, white waist, and red petticoat. As she spun her 
wheel she sang a quaint little Dutch song which she had to repeat, she was so heartily 
encored. 

Number ten was Munro with his trained dogs, who was roundly applauded. 

The next tableau was one showing Cinderella (Frances), just leaving the ball- 



56 



FRANCES AND THE IRREPRESSIBLES 



room, her slipper laying on the carpet where she had dropped it in her haste, with 
Munro as the Prince picking it up, while all the other children were in the background 
as guests at the ball. Gene and Kitty took the part of the ugly sisters, with false 
noses and ears to make them homely enough to represent the part. 

The last tableau showed Cinderella 
beside the fire, the Prince just fitting the 
slipper to her foot, the ugly sisters look- 
ing on with envy, while Dickey and 
Caryl, dressed as followers of the Prince, 
were standing behind him. The children 
took their parts well and the curtain went 
down amid thunders of applause, while a 
number of ladies in the audience threw 
bouquets. 

Last but not least was the cake-walk 
by the Coon-Town Band and this caused 
screams of laughter and deafening ap- 
plause, for they were blackened up like 
darkies and their costumes were most 
characteristic and funny. Frances got the 
cake, which she cut and distributed to all 
who came forward for a piece ; and thus 
ended the most entertaining vaudeville 
performance that had ever been given 
in that part of the country. They 
made money enough not only to furnish the cabin but to have one hundred dollars left 
to spend for charity. 




THEY WERE BI^ACKENED UP LIKE DARKIES. 



Chapter 6. 

THE TRAMPS. 



THE day after the vaudeville was a busy one for everybody, for the chairs and 
benches had to be returned, the loose papers that littered the grounds 
picked up, and things in general set to rights. It was late in the after- 
noon when the children at last climbed into their favorite seats in the elm 
tree to rest and enjoy the cool breeze, while they read or talked over the 
performance of the previous evening. They had been there for some time 
and were about to go home, when their attention was attracted by the sound of snapping 
twig:; and crackling underbrush, while the mumble of low, guttural voices was wafted 
toward them from the hazel copse. 

"Hush!" said Munro, holding up a warning finger. 

Every mouth was closed but all eyes peered sharply through the leaves of the over- 
hanging elm bough to see who the intruders were. Presently, sneaking along m tiptoe, 
came two disreputable-looking tramps with bleary eyes, rum noses, tangled beards, 
unkempt hair, and clothes all in tatters, looking as if they had been torn from their 
backs by savage dogs. 

Once clear of the thicket, they advanced stealthily, looking back at almost every 
step as if fearful of being followed and pounced upon from behind. As it happened, 
the cabin door was shut and locked, and the shades drawn at all the windows but one, 
so that the tramps thought no one was within. They approached this window, one of 
them shading his eyes with his hands and pressing his face close to the pane to get 
a better look inside. All was quiet and no one in sight, while what gave his hungry 
eyes joy was a table on which were spread bread, crackers, cold meats, peaches, jelly, 
and cakes, and a big glass pitcher of lemonade at one end. 

"Rotterdam, Amsterdam, Hedam, Shedam, and all the rest of the Dutch dams, 
but here is a cinch, pard !" exclaimed the tramp. "Nobody at home and supper all on 
the table." 

With the discovery that no one was around, their caution vanished, and one gave 

57 



58 FRANCES AND THE IRREPRESSIBLES 

a low peculiar whistle that resembled the cry of a night bird which was immediately 
answered by a similar one from the thicket, and presently a third tramp joined them. 
This man was, if possible, more ragged tattered and slovenly than the other two, besides 
dragging one leg as if he had been recently hurt. He leaned upon a knotted stick as 
he slowly crawled out from the bushes and limped toward the cabin to join the 
others. 

"Set down in that cheer, Bill, and rist yer broken bones while I climb into that 
there winder yonder and break open the door, for then ye can come into me bang-up 
hotel and I won't charge ye one cent, and ye can lay on the couch while Jake and me 
bandage up yer leg and fill ye with dainties fit fur a king." 

When Regis heard the tramp say he was going to break down the door of the 
cabin, he was for getting down from the tree and having a fist fight, but Munro 
motioned to him to keep still. 

As luck would have it, the key was on the inside of the door. Frances had locked 
it and had then gone out of the back door, so all the tramp had to do was to unlock 
it and let his companions in without having to break it down. 

As the lame tramp rose to go in, the children heard him say, "Say, fellers, this is 
a good place to hide from them jumping idiots, the perlice. I wish to goodness we 
had never stolen them old saw-bone horses. They never did us any good and we are 
likely to be caught at any time and made to spend the rest of the summer in jail, and 
I find jail too confinin' fur me health in warm weather. Here we are, me with a broken 
leg, Jake with a calf full of shot, and Ike with a lock of hair blowed ofif his head 
with the powder from that fat cop's gun. If it hadn't been for the horses shyin' and 
throwin' us when the fools shot, we would have been out of the country now, instead 
of sneaking along here at a mule's pace, starvin' and sufferin' all the time. But to-night 
we'll fix um. We'll get even by stealin' three of old Madam de Neveu's horses and it 
will be an easy job, for there are no men in the barn. The farm hands sleep near the 
house." 

"So-ho!" thought Munro. "These are the tramps who have been stealing 
horses. The papers have had full accounts of them and there is a reward of two 
hundred each, if captured." He whispered this to his companions, adding that he had a 
plan for catching them and getting the reward. 

This was Munro's plan : They were all to sit there until it grew quite dark and 
then Frances, Dickey and Caryl must sneak down, run to the house, get the clothes 
line and their guns and bring them back. They were not to tell a soul about it, for they 
wanted to catch the thieves all by themselves. While Frances and Dickey v/ere coming 



AT BUENA VISTA FARM 



59 



back with the Hne and the guns, Caryl must 
take his pony and gallop to town for the po- 
lice patrol, for by that time they would, with 
luck, have the tramps bound hand and foot. 
Kitty and Gene were to remain in the tree. 
None were to stir out of the tree until the 
tramps were sound asleep. It was likely 
they would get drowsy as soon as they had 
eaten, for probably they had not had a good 
night's rest for a long time in their fear of 
being caught, for, of course, the detectives 
were on their track. Munro and Regis were 
to guard the doors. 

"By jingo, Munro! You are a regular 
general to think out that plan and we will 
all do just as you say," said Regis. 

Then Munro whispered his plan to the 
rest, but he had to change it somewhat as 
Kitty positively refused to stay in the tree 
alone with Gene, while Frances, Caryl and 
Dickey went to the house for the rope and 
guns. 

"Instead of you catching the tramps, 
they will catch you and hang you to the 
tree or shoot you full of holes," she said. 
"I won't stop a minute: I'm going home 
with Frances and what is more, I'll stay 
there." 

"Very well, you can go if you wish, but 
there is absolutely no danger if you stay 
here, while if you attempt to get down now, 
you may fall or arouse the tramps," said 
Munro. 

"I don't care if I do. I zvon't stay 
here!" 









01^ '-■■■ ' 


■ 


^^^^^^Hft^* 


\^\ 


1 



CARYL BOTSFORD. 



"So it was settled that she was to go with the rest when they went, leaving 



6o FRANCES AND THE IRREPRESSIBLES 

Munro and Regis to keep watch until their return. Gene was to carry the ammunition 
and rope, while Dickey and Frances carried the guns, which were rather heavy for 
them. 

Now that all plans were completed, the long wait began, for the tramps were still 
eating. After what seemed an interminable time, for in their anxiety it seemed as if 
the sky would never get dark this night, they saw Munro taking of5f his shoes and 
stockings and wondered what he was up to. They soon discovered ; for he began to 
climb out on a great branch of the tree that overhung the cabin, trailing its long, leafy 
branches over it when the wind blew. Along this he climbed, hand over hand, bending 
the limb lower and lower until his feet touched the roof and then he let go and crawled 
along its edge until he reached the chimney, when he turned his head as if listening. 

"Oh ! I see what he is up to," said Regis. "He is trying to find out if they are 
asleep, and if it is safe for us to .commence carrying out our plans." 

After listening for some time, Munro slipped off the roof to the ground and 
motioned for the others to come down from the tree, making signs for them to take 
off their shoes as he had done. 

They did this in a jiffy and soon all were tiptoeing along over the grass toward the 
thicket which would hide them from the view of the tramps, should they happen to come 
to the door to look out. 

Munro saw Kitty stagger and catch at the railing of the steps, while even in the 
dim light he could see she was as white as a ghost, and trembling so she could scarcely 
walk. He pushed past the others and, taking her up in his arms, carried her to the edge 
of the bushes, whispering that she was safe now and to run for her life — which you 
may be sure she did. Then he and Regis looked into the window to see where the 
tramps were lying. One was in the swinging hammock in the corner, another stretched 
out on the couch, while the third was rolled up in a heap on the floor on all the pillows 
which he had taken ofif the couch. 

"Gee willikins ! I vv^ish we had a rope," said Regis. "Did you ever see such a 
fine chance to use one as we have now ?" 

"Yes, but we don't dare until the guns are here, for there is a murderous-looking 
hunter's knife sticking out of that man's belt," replied Munro, pointing to the tramp on 
the couch. 

"They won't move for some time," said Munro. "Let's go to meet the girls and 
Dickey, for they will find the guns and cartridge belts pretty heavy, I'm thinking." 

"Yes," answered Munro, "and I know Frances well enough to be sure she will 
run every step of the way and come here all out of breath, with a pain in her side." 



AT BUENA VISTA FARM 6i 

The boys quietly stole away from the window and when once clear of the under- 
brush, ran toward the farmhouse, through the short-cut they knew the children would 
take on their way back. They had gone but a short distance when they heard some 
one panting, and the soft patter of hurrying feet on the smooth path. At first it 
sounded behind them and they thought it might be the tramps following, but peer 
into the darkness as they would they could see no one. Then it sounded close in 
front and sure enough, they perceived three little figures with bent heads, running 
toward them, panting for breath, but not speaking one word as they ran. 

"Halt ! Hands up !" cried Munro, and the figures stopped as if shot. 

"Mercy ! how you scared me, Munro," said Frances. 

"You nasty, mean boy, to do that when you knew that it would frighten the lives 
out of us," said Gene. 

"Did you think we were tramps ?" asked Regis. 

"Yes, we did," replied Gene. 

"Gracious !" exclaimed Frances. "What is the matter with Dickey? I guess you 
have scared him stiff." 

And sure enough they had, for on hearing them call, "Halt! Hands up!" he had 
dropped in the path with the guns beside him. 

"Here, cheer up, Dickey. It's only Regis and I. Don't be afraid." 

"I'm not afraid," said Dickey. "I only stubbed my toe and fell." Dickey knew 
he was a great coward, though he would not own up to it, and he always had an excuse 
ready so that he could sneak out of it some way. 

"Now give us the guns and cartridge belts and then you all climb back into the tree 
where we can call you if we need your help." 

In a few minutes Munro and Regis had the belts strapped on and the guns loaded. 

"Here, I brought you your six-shooter, too, Munro," said Frances. 

When at last armed, Munro and Regis ran back to the cabin and found the tramps 
just where they had left them, only snoring louder if that were possible. 

"Now give me the clothes-line," said Munro, "and I will cut it into six pieces ; two 
for each man, one for his hands and one for his feet." 

Just as they finished this, Dickey and the girls came through the underbrush. 
On seeing them Munro motioned for them to come close, and then he asked in a 
whisper if Frances would be afraid to stand inside the door and point the gun at the 
tramps, telling them to keep their hands up until he and Regis could get them tied. 
"If you don't," he said, "one of them may jump up, give the alarm, and then it would 



62 FRANCES AND THE IRREPRESSIBLES 

be all over with us, for we are not strong enough to fight such big husky fellows 
as these tramps. The only way we can catch them is by using strategy." 

"I am not afraid," said Frances, who was brave as a lion and who thoroughly 
enjoyed this kind of excitement. 

"You are a brick, sis," said Munro. 

Gene also consented, though scared to death, but it would never do to let Frances 
or the boys know that she was afraid. 

As for Dickey, his teeth were chattering with fear and he would have run away, 
but that the boys kept too close a watch over him to make escape possible. 

"Now, Dickey, show us what you are made of. Come and hand us the ropes as we 
need them," said Munro. ^ 

With his finger on his lips, Munro quietly opened the door, stepped in, motioned 
for the rest to follow, and then stationed the girls on either side of the door, pointing 
one gun at the tramp in the hammock and the other at the one on the couch, while 
Dickey, with the ropes slung over his shoulders, pointed his revolver at the one lying 
on the floor. 

Tip-e-toe-tip went Munro, creeping nearer and nearer to the tramps, with only 
the rays of the moon shining through the windows to give him light. Just as he stooped, 
the tramp on the floor gave a big snore and threw his arms over his head as he 
did so. Munro sprang to his feet and jumped back into the shadow until the man 
breathed evenly again, then with a quick movement he stepped to his side and slipped 
the noose over his hands, drawing it with a strong pull into place and the man's 
hands were secure. Strange as it may seem, he did not awaken but lay perfectly still 
until they bound his feet. Then, sooner than it takes to tell it, they had the man on 
the sofa bound hand and foot without his moving, for he lay on his back with his hands 
clasped over his breast and one foot crossed over the other, just in position for 
binding. 

This done, they breathed more easily ; for now but one tramp remained to be dealt 
with and they anticipated no trouble with him. If he attempted to fight he could get 
no assistance from his companions, and the boys thought they were a match for one 
fellow, even if they were small. He was lying on his back in the hammock with one 
leg on one side and the other on the other side, both feet touching the floor, so Regis 
just slipped the rope round his feet and drew them together, leaving the hammock be- 
tween his legs, but when they attempted to tie his hands, he awoke with a start and sat 
straight up, staring about him. 

The girls were near the door, standing like sentinels, with their guns pointed 



AT BUENA VISTA FARM 63 

straight at him. All he could see was the glance of four bright eyes and the reflection of 
the moonlight as it fell on the silver mounting of the gun barrels. The light was too 
dim where the girls stood, for him to see that they were girls, and of course he thought 
they were men. At that moment a cloud passed over the moon and the room was in 
darkness. All was still. Then he tried to move his feet but could not. He pulled and 
stretched and tried to free himself, when out came the moon from under the clouds, 
brighter than before, but lo ! the glimmering barrels and the four bright eyes were gone 
and he found himself so tangled in the net of the hammock that he decided that he 
was not tied after all, only wound round and round in its meshes. 

'T must have been havin' a nightmare and dreamt that I saw the gun-barrels, and 
it's no wonder I dream of guns when I go to sleep, for it's all I think of when I'm 
awake : guns and being shot dead. I must have thought I was bound, and tried to get 
loose, the way me legs are tangled." 

They heard him talking to himself as he leaned over and tried to free his feet. 

"Rattle-te-bang !" came a sound from the kictchen, which scared the tramp but 
which Regis and Munro knew to be only a dish-pan which had slipped from the pantry 
shelf. 

"Sure and there is some blamed cop sneakin' round here and I guess them gun 
barrels were sure-enough ones after all and not dream-fancies. Say, pard, over there, 
stop snorin' ! I think I hear some one prowlin' round." 

"Oh ! Shut up Bill ! You're always thinking you hear the perlice comin'. By 
the jimmy jumps though, I guess you are right this trip, for me hands and feet are 
tied." 

"Now, what did I tell you?" snarled Bill in an enraged voice. "Strike a match, 
can't ye ? and see if any one is hidin' in the corners." 

"How do you expect me to strike a match when me hands are bound, I'd like to 
know ?" 

"Kick Snoozer and waken him. See if he's tied." 

"Oh, Jake ! Wake up ! We are surrounded." 

"It's nothin' of the kind. That ain't my title. My name is just plain Jake, yer 
honor," spoke Jake in his sleep, having heard but a part of the word "surrounded," and 
getting it mixed in his sleepy head with a dream he was having about being in court. 
"Hi there! Stop kicking me," he called out as the tramp on the sofa, swinging his 
tied feet round, gave him a big kick in the side. This brought him to his senses with 
a start and he sat up quickly only to find that he too was bound hand and foot. 

All this time the tramp in the hammock had been trying to disentangle himself 



64 FRANCES AND THE IRREPRESSIBLES 

and he had just succeeded in getting one foot loose when Munro, who had been watch- 
ing him, cut the rope of the hammock, letting him down upon the floor with a crash, 
and before he could move, the end of the hammock was thrown over his head and his 
arms were bound to his side, his head and arms both covered with the net. 

"Say, you blankety blank rascals! Unbind me!" he roared, swearing a horrible 
oath which was enough to chill the blood in one's veins, but the boys went on binding 
the clothesline tighter and tighter around him. 

Then the tramp on the floor commenced to roll over and over to get to his friend 
and knock the boys over with the weight of his body, or to try to kick them with his 
tied feet, but Munro soon spoiled this plan by commanding him to he still or one of 
them would put a bullet through his body, and he called to Dickey to help, but no 
Dickey answered. Poor Dickey had fled, leaving the pistol lying on the floor, but an- 
other voice did answer and one which Munro recognized as belonging to Frances, al- 
though she had endeavored to disguise it and make it sound more like a man's. Then 
he saw a white hand, holding a revolver which was pointed squarely at the tramp's 
head, and that was all he could see in the darkness. 

Next he heard Regis call out : "Hold up your hands ! Back from that window !" 
to the third tramp who was trying to climb out of the window though his hands and 
feet were tied. 

Then there came the sound of tramping feet, and the next moment six burly police- 
men, headed by Caryl, stood in the doorwa;y and flashed their dark-lanterns around 
the cabin, showing three desperate, scared-looking tramps, three triumphant boys' faces, 
a pale-faced little girl crouching in a corner, holding a gun with the muzzle aimed at 
the ceiling, and, last but not by any means least, a bright, brave little girl, standing in 
the middle of the room, pointing a pistol at a villainous-looking tramp sitting on the 
floor with hands and feet bound securely together. 

"Well, I'll be shot if I ever saw such a sight as this !" said the Captain of Police. 
"You certainly are 'The Irrepressibles' and should be called so, and each one of you 
given a gold medal for bravery and cool-headedness. When you are grown up, if the 
world doesn't hear of you I'll miss my guess. Do you know, children, these jail-birds 
you have here are three of the most desperate characters in the country? They are 
burglars and horse-thieves and by their capture you have won the reward of six 
hundred dollars. , Allow me to congratulate you," and the Captain bowed profoundly 
to each of the captors and then followed his men out. The tramps were simply picked 
up by the policemen, carried to the patrol wagon, and dumped there all in a heap. The 



AT BUENA VISTA FARM 



65 



policemen then took their seats, the Captain sitting near the door, while the driver 
cracked his whip and off they drove for town. 

After the sound of the wheels and horses' feet had finally died away, the children 
lighted the lamp and sat down on the big couch and on the floor at its side, anywhere 
so they could be close together, while they talked over the exciting time they had passed 
through, making Caryl tell of his ride in the darkness alone to get help. 

"Oh, my !" said Frances, "isn't it too bad that Lolita should have gone to Fond du 
Lac to-night ? This night of all others. Won't she be mad to think she missed this fun 
and excitement ?" 

"I think not," said Munro, "for if I know Lolita, she will thank her lucky stars 
that she was well out of it, for she is as timid as Kitty where tramps and guns are 
concerned." 




Chapter 7* 



SALLY SMITHERS RIDES IN THE 

TALLY-HO. 



F' ROM whom is your letter, Munro ?" asked Frances, a couple of days after 
the tramp excitement. 
"Hurrah ! Hurrah ! Hurrah !" exclaimed he, waving it over his 
head. "Billy and Arthur can come to spend the rest of the summer with us 
and they will be here to-morrow. Champlain and Beatrice are coming too. 
Oh ! isn't it splendid ? It seems too good to be true. I was afraid they 
would not get back from Europe in time to come to the farm this year. Let's go tell 
the good news to the rest of the folks." 

Away they went, shouting through the hall ; but no one heard, for all were outside 
watching a trapeze performance which the children were going through on the big 
swing, for they were practicing for a circus they intended to have at the close of the 
summer. The proceeds of this entertainment, as well as all they made from selling 
vegetables, flowers, poultry, and pigeons, were to go toward buying an automobile. At 
the present time the height of the Irrepressibles' ambition was to own a touring car 
and travel through the country at will. All their spare cash was carefully hoarded for 
this purpose and they hoped that by next summer they would have enough to buy the 
automobile, so that they could come to the farm in it instead of by train. 

"Hello ! everybody ! listen to my good news," called Munro, as he rounded the porch 
and spied them all at the swing. "Billy, Arthur, Champlain, and Beatrice will be here 
to-morrow." 

"Bully for them !" called Caryl, as he turned a summersault backwards to express 
his delight, while Dickey poked Regis in the ribs, who retaliated by punching 
Dickey's nose and starting a free fight. Headlong they went, rolling and tumbling, until 
they reached the bottom of the hill. 

The girls showed their delight in a more gentle manner, by clapping their hands 
and crying : "Goodie ! Goodie ! That is fine ! We are so glad. Now they will be in 
time to take part in the circus." 

66 




Arthur Libby with "Scott" the Collie 

(67) 



AT BUENA VISTA FARM 69 

"Yes, and we will make Arthur ride the greased pig, because he is so fat it won't 
hurt him if he falls off," said Munro, at which they all laughed. 

"Here, give me a push, Munro, and see me turn on my arms and perform in 
mid-air when the swing is as high as it will go," said Regis, who had returned from 
his roll down hill and was trying to climb up one rope of the swing, hanging 
head down. 

"Oh ! don't do it," exclaimed Lolita. "You will surely get killed." 

"No, don't push him, Munro," said Frances, "for we don't want him to get killed, 
even if he is a disagreeable, pug-nosed tease." 

"I am a disagreeable, pug-nosed tease, am I?" exclaimed Regis. "Well, just you 
wait until I catch you and I will make you take that back and say I am a beauty, or 
else ril kiss you," and out of the swing he jumped, running after her. But she had 
quite a start, knowing from experience that it was dangerous to say such things ; and 
expecting to get her hair pulled, she commenced to run as he said the last words, 
aiming to reach the summer-house where she could better dodge him. Around the 
house they went, time and again, screaming like stuck pigs, and at last she escaped, 
leaving him with her hair ribbon in his hand. 

"Alunro, Munro, come and help me, come and help me!" she called, but Munro 
never interfered in others' quarrels. 

"Regis, stop chasing me. I am all out of breath," said Frances through the 
grapevines from her side of the house. 

"I will, as soon as you take back what you said, and say I am a beauty." 

"Well, I won't say it," she replied. 

"Then you will have to be kissed," he called out. 

"1 won't be kissed, you mean old thing !" 

"Then take it back." 

"I won't take it back !" 

"Oh," Frances, don't be so stubborn. Take it back and come here," called Lolita, 
who disliked disturbances of any kind, especially with Regis, as he was her favorite, 

"Whoopie!" called Regis, as he made a dive for Frances once more, but she 
at the same time made a jump for the summer-house door, intending to run through 
and dodge ; but alas ! she caught her dress on a nail and nearly tore her skirt off from 
the waist, in her mad haste to get away. Regis grabbed her, gave her a smacking kiss 
which she returned with a slap, and they would have been in a regular cat-fight, 
had not Munro come up and held her while all the girls pounced upon Regis, nearly 
tearing his jacket from his back in their endeavors to hold him. 



jo FRANCES AND THE IRREPRESSIBLES 

"Now, girls," said Regis, who was the worst tease that ever Hved, "don't maul 
me so, for if you care to be kissed, too, I will do it with pleasure, without having my 
jacket torn from my back," and suiting the action to the word he grabbed Lolita 
who ducked her head, but he caught it under his arm and there he held it while he 
caught Gene under the other. Then he kissed them both and went off smacking his 
lips in the most tantalizing manner, saying : "Yum, yum ! Those were sweet gum- 
drops." But he had to quicken his pace and climb a tree to get out of the way of the 
three girls who were after him, for now Lolita and Gene were as mad at him as 
Frances had been. 

The girls saw that it was useless to wait for him to come down, so they went off and 
left him, well knowing that this would bother him more than if they were to stay there, 
where he could tease them by sitting up out of reach and calling down tantalizing 
things to them. 

"I'll tell you what let's do," said Frances. "Let's get everything ready to go 
spear-fishing to-night and leave him here alone." 

"No," said Kitty, "let's all come out of the house eating pears and let us sit down 
on the porch where he can see us. This will make him crazy, for he dearly loves 
pears," and away they went to get some. They soon appeared, each girl with a large, 
luscious ripe pear in her hand, which she proceeded to eat with a loud smacking 
noise. 

"Piggies ! Piggies ! Piggies !" called Regis. "You girls make more noise eating 
those pears than a pen full of snorters. I guess I will come down and kiss you all again 
for a bite," and he started to climb down out of the tree. They knew he would do 
what he said, so they ran into the house and locked themselves in — all but Kitty, who 
stood her ground and ate her pear as fast as she could. As for teasing, she rather 
liked it from Regis, so she decided to stop and see what he would do when he came up 
to her. She offered him the core of her pear and held up her mouth for a kiss. He 
snapped his fingers in her face and said : 

"You are too anxious to be kissed. I don't care for that kind any more than I do 
for pear cores," and he turned on his heel and walked away. For a moment Kitty was 
much chagrined, then she threw her core at him, hitting him in the back, and walked 
off in an opposite direction. All this the other girls saw from the window of the room 
in which they were locked. 

"It is time we were picking our strawberries and fixing our vegetables for market," 
said Munro to Regis as he came out of the house and handed him a huge, yellow 
pear. 



AT BUENA VISTA FARM 71 

"Girls ! girls ! Where are you ? Come on over to the garden and help us to get 
our things in shape to send to town," called Munro, and presently, out of the house 
flocked the girls with big blue gingham aprons and white sunbonnets on, all ready to 
pick berries. 

Regis called to Lolita to come have a bite of his pear, adding that he knew 
she was fond of them. 

"Well ! if you don't want any pear let me carry your basket, and I promise not to 
tease you any more." 

Regis and Lolita were looked upon as lovers and were always together. Regis 
was jolly and a great tease, with a quick temper that flared up like a match and was 
as quickly over, while it took a long time to appease Lolita, and there was evidently 
something of the Indian in her make-up, for she never forgot or forgave slight or 
affront. 

Dickey and Kitty paired ofif together and Frances and Caryl. Munro, at present 
had no one special to go with, so he went with all the girls until Natalie, his favorite, 
came to the farm. 

The next morning, according to agreement, the Irrepressibles went in style to 
meet the other children with the tally-ho. The girls were in their spick and span pink, 
blue and white frocks, with big hats from which fluttered ribbons of the same colors, 
for they all wished to make as fine an appearance as possible. 

Just as they were starting Miss Amelia ran out and cried, "Oh! Munro, would 
you mind stopping on your way home to bring out a little girl who is to be a guest of 
mine? I forgot all about her until this minute, and this is the day I promised to send 
for her." 

"Oh! Miss Amelia, what is she like? Who is she? How long is she going to 
stay? Will we like her, do you think?" These were a few of the questions they 
asked all at once. 

"We don't want any other children and we won't be nice to her," said Dickey. 

"For shame, Dickey ! Yes, we will. But what is she like, Miss Amelia ?" asked 
Frances. 

"I am sure I don't know what she is like. You will have to find that out for your- 
selves," answered Miss Amelia. 

"Is she pretty?" asked Regis. 

"That you will have to decide for yourselves, also." 

"Certainly, we will stop for her. Miss Amelia," said Munro. "Where does she 
live?" 



72 FRANCES AND THE IRREPRESSIBLES 

"At three hundred and eleven Third Street, in a white cottage on the north side of 
the street." 

"Very well ! We will bring her," and they started the horses, but Munro suddenly 
stopped them and called back: "What is her name?" 

"Oh! mercy! I forgot to tell you in my haste, but it is Sally Smithers." 

"Gracious! what a homely name," said Regis. "I'll bet her face is round as a 
pumpkin and that she has squinting blue eyes." 

"I'll bet she is short, fat, and dumpy," said Dickey. 

"No, she will be thin and sallow and will wear her hair in pigtails," said Frances. 

"No, she won't either. She will have thick, coarse hair and a freckled nose," 
said Gene. 

"I'll bet you she has red hair and that she is cross-eyed," said Kitty. 

"Now, Lolita, it is your turn to guess." 

"I don't know what she will look like." 

"Oh ! yes, you do," said Regis, "but you are afraid of saying what you think." 

"Well then, I think she will be rather plain looking and dreadfully bashful and 
that she will be afraid of us, so that we can't get her to talk." 

"Well, I should like to see the girl that I could not make talk," said Regis. 

"So should I," said Munro. "I believe she would have to be deaf and dumb if 
you could not make her talk, especially when you got to teasing her. Hold on tight 
everybody. I am going to race down hill for fun." 

"It is a mark of poor horsemanship to let your horses run down hill," said Regis, 
who prided himself on his knowledge of horses and driving. 

"I know it," said Munro, "but here goes, anyway," and for the next three minutes 
it was all they could do to stick on the slippery leather seats, as he drove the coach 
over bumps and boulders at a break-neck speed. 

"Heigho! what fun! I just love to go fast like that," said Frances. 

"Dere does my hat!" cried Dorothy, and sure enough, away it flew, landing on 
the other side of a barbed wire fence among a flock of sheep. The yellow straw and 
white daisies with which it was trimmed must have looked to them like something to 
eat, for one old sheep walked up to it and commenced to nibble at the flowers. 

"Oh ! Oh ! Oh ! Kick ! Stop dat naughty old seep. Him is eatin' my new hat," 
wailed Dorothy. 

"I'll get it. Don't cry," said Regis, and he was soon off the tally-ho and climbing 
the barbed wire fence. 

Now if any of you have ever climbed a wobbly wire fence, you know it requires 



AT BUENA VISTA FARM ji 

some knack to get over one in a hurry and not tear your clothes. Regis was generally 
an expert at this kind of thing ; but somehow, in his haste to rescue the hat, he lost 
his caution, so when he went to jump down on the other side of the fence it caught the 
tail of his coat, short as it was, and took a piece clean out of it. 

When the sheep saw him coming toward them they all began to run, and the 
one that was chewing Dorothy's hat picked it up by the crown and made off with it. 
The faster Regis chased them, the faster they ran, all in a bunch as sheep are wont 
to run, the old sheep with the hat in her mouth following closely in the rear. Regis 
threw stones at the old sheep to make her drop the hat, but she still clung to it and only 
ran the faster. 

"Oh ! you old villain, if I ever catch you I'll wring your neck," shouted Regis. 

Munro saw that Regis was not going to be able to get the hat by himself, and as 
he dared not trust the horses with any of the boys, he told Dickey and Caryl they had 
better go and help, so, soon the three boys were chasing that contrary old sheep around 
and around the field, until at last they got her in a corner. Regis threw a stone and hit 
her in the side which made her cry, "Bah !" and, of course, when she opened her mouth, 
out fell the hat. Then all the sheep ran over it, and when it was at last rescued it looked 
as if it had been left out in a rain storm. The crown was wet and mashed all out of 
shape, while the brim and flowers were trampled and chewed into a sorry-looking 
mess. 

When they presented the forlorn-looking thing to Dorothy she howled so loud 
that one could hear her a mile away. They at last pacified her by saying that Deborah 
would make her a hat for her doll out of it, and then she dried her tears and was 
soon singing as merrily as a lark. Nothing could depress Dorothy for long at a 
time. 

This incident had caused quite a little delay and now they had to drive fast 
in order to reach the depot by the time the train pulled in. They just made it 
and were driving up in fine style, taking the curve at the station with a wide sweep, 
with every ribbon flying in the breeze, when the train came to a halt. The girls kept 
their seats, while Regis and Caryl went to the other side of the station to meet the 
arrivals. Presently, they came back bringing the newcomers, looking bright and 
happy, with them. 

"Now climb up here and sit by me," they all cried, and the poor boys did not know 
which seat to choose for they were all so tempting. 

"Willum, oo must tome and sit by me 'cause I losted my hat and is feelin' bad," 
said Dorothy. This settled the question as to a seat for William, so he, Frances, Caryl, 



74 



FRANCES AND THE IRREPRESSIBLES 



and Dorothy sat on one seat while Arthur climbed up and sat with Gene, Champlain, 
and Beatrice. On the front seat were Regis, Lolita, and Munro, while perched up on 
the two high back seats were Dickey and Kitty. 

"Willum, 00 hasn't tissed me," said Dorothy in a plaintive voice. 
"Well ! I will do it now, so come and sit on my lap so that you will not fall out." 

"No, Ise too big to sit on oor lap. Ladies 
don't sit on gemmens' laps when dey does ridin'. 
Oh, Willum ! I must tell oo 'bout the nasty seeps 
what ate up my bestest hat," and she forthwith 
gave him a graphic account of the hat episode. 

"Mercy ! where are we going to put Sally 
Smithers?" asked Munro. "I had nearly forgot- 
ten about her." 

"She can sit with us," said Frances. "There 
will be plenty of room if Dorothy will sit on Wil- 
liam's lap." 

"You will, won't you, honey-duck?" asked 
William. 

"Maybe, if oo let me look at oor watch wiv 
the funny picture in it." 

The tally-ho now stopped at a white cottage 
and all the children sat still while Munro went 
to the door and knocked. What would the new- 
comer turn out to be like, they all wondered. 

Presently the door opened and out walked a 
little girl of between ten and eleven years in a 
stiffly-starched pink gingham dress, a poke- 
shaped leghorn hat tied under her chin, black 
silk open-work mitts on her hands, carrying a 
large bandbox. Behind her came Munro carrying 
a little hair-covered trunk. The children held 
their breath for a moment at the old-fashioned 
picture that she unconsciously made. Everything about her was antiquated from her 
mitts to her bandbox. 

Munro set her trunk down and hurried out to introduce her. At each new name 
she took hold of the sides of her skirt and made a deep curtsy as one would in the 




BEATRICE GILL. 



AT BUENA VISTA FARM 75 

stately minuet. This the observing Dorothy noticed at once and called out: "Oh, 
'ittle dirl, 00 mussent bow like dat, 00 must jerk oor head so," ducking her own head 
to show her how. "We's only bow like dat at dancin' kool." Frances put her hand 
over Dorothy's mouth and tried to stop her but she called out : "Stop holdin' oor 
hand over my mouse." 

"Miss Sally," said Munro in his most polite tone, "would you prefer to ride on 
top or inside of the coach? I would advise you to ride on top as it is close and stuffy 
inside." 

"Thank you, I will ride inside," and with her head held high in the air she climbed 
in, taking her bandbox with her. 

"I am very sorry, but I am afraid we will have to leave your trunk and call for it 
to-morrow," said Munro, "as we have no room for it on the coach. We thought you 
would prefer riding on top and then we could put it inside." 

"If no one else is going to ride inside you can still put it here as there is plenty 
of room." 

"Just as you wish," answered Munro. So he and Regis put the little flat trunk, 
no larger than a good-sized dress-suit case, on the seat in front of her and, lifting 
their hats, closed the door. 

"Gee ! but she is a stiffy. I'll bet her back will ache before we reach the farm if 
she' sits that straight all the way out," said Regis. 

"The only thing I am afraid of is that the trunk will slip off the seat into her 
lap or on her toes the first hill we go down," said Munro. 

"I don't care if it does," said Regis. "It will give her a little exercise and limber 
up the poker in her back." 

"My ! isn't she distant and cold," said Eugenea. 

"Did you see how high she held her head, never deigning to look at us after she 
was introduced ? We will take all that out of her before she has been on the. farm many 
days," said Champlain. 

They had been driving along for some time and no one had been paying any 
attention to Dorothy, until they heard her laugh, and then they found that she had 
slipped from William's lap and was now between his feet, leaning over and peeking 
through a crack in the top of the tally-ho for it was old, warped and weather beaten. 

"Dorothy, what are you doing ?" cried Frances in a horrified voice. 

"Ise just watchin' Sally hold hers trunk on de seat. Evy time we go down hill 
it slips on hers lap and her most breaks hers back puttin' it on the seat aden, and when 



76 



FRANCES AND THE IRREPRESSIBLES 



we tips sidewaA'S, hers trunk and bandbox slide from one end of de seat to de other and 
her is mussin' hers dress awful." 

"Dearie, you must not peek. It is very impolite. Come and sit on the seat be- 
tween William and me," said Frances. 

"No, I tant tome. He talks to oo all de 
time and I want him to talk to me," said 
the jealous little girl. 

"If you will sit here I won't talk to 
Frances for a long time," said William. 

"What did she say?" asked Munro, 
turning round. "Did she say that the trunk 
was sliding on Miss Sally's lap?" 
"Yes." 

"Well, I think I had better get down 
and see if she won't change her mind and 
come up on top now. Miss Sally, don't 
you find it rather warm inside and would 
you not like to ride the rest of the way on 
top?" 

"Thank you, I believe I should," said 
Sally, hurriedly putting her bonnet on 
straight. 

Munro helped her up on the seat beside 
William, Frances, and Dorothy. 
"I am afraid your trunk must have bothered you," said Frances, trying to make 
conversation. 

"Not at all," replied Sally. 

"Oh, yes it did," exclaimed Dorothy, "'cause I saw it slide on oor lap all de time." 
Sally's face flushed scarlet and she bit her lip, then she asked : "How could you 
see me through the top of the coach ?" 

"See dat crack?" asked Dorothy, pointing with her toe to the wide slit in the top 
of the tally-ho. At a glance, Sally saw the crack that had been her undoing. 
Presently Sally felt a little hand creeping softly up and down her back. 
"Dorothy, what are you doing?" asked William. 
"I's twyin' to feel de poker in her back. Regis said her had a poker dere." 




CHAMPLAIN KETTLE. 



AT BUENA VISTA FARM ^7 

This remark simply paralyzed the children and William nearly burst, trying to 

keep from laughing. 

'"Dorothy, I wish you would keep still and not talk so much," said Frances. 

"Shissy, I is still and amn't talkin' a bit. Is I, Willum?" 

After this she was quiet for some time and then suddenly exclaimed : 

"You amn't got red hair and cross-eyes, has oo ? Kitty said she dessed oo would 

have.'" 




the; tally-ho sally rode in. 

"Dorothy, I wish you would go and sit on the front seat with Munny," said 
Frances, hoping to keep her from saying anything more. 

"No, I don't want to do dere. I wants to sit on Willum's lap, and Ise only doin' 
to tell the 'ittle dirl what oo said about her afore she tame, so she'll feel 'quainted. 
Mamma says oo must alius make it pleasant for strangers, and she is strangers." 

"Oh, Dorothy ! Come and sit on my lap," said Caryl. "I have something in my 
pocket I want to show you." 

"Have oo, honest Injin?" 

"Yes, come and see," and William gladly let her go before she had time to say 
anything further, but she had said all the embarrassing things she wanted to for a 



78 



FRANCES AND THE IRREPRESSIBLES 



while, and very soon they drove into the gate and found they had reached home just 
in time for supper. 

After supper they played still-pond on the lawn, and Sally lost a good deal of the 
stiffness of her spine and manner before the game and the evening were over. 

Every day now brought new arrivals until the house was packed and one of the 
extra cottages filled. 





Chapter 8. 

MORE ARRIVALS. 

^ERE they come! Here they come!" exclaimed Frances, as she looked 
down the road and saw the black top of a carriage appear, surrounded 
by a cloud of dust. Then Beatrice, Eugenea, and Lolita ran and jumped 
off the porch where they had been for the last half hour, impatiently 
awaiting the arrival of the newcomers, who were no less important per- 
sonages than Gwendolyn Hamilton and Natalie Donnelley, with her 
little four-year-old sister Alice Roselia and her twin brothers, Charles and Robert, 
one-and-a-half-years old. Now the band of Irrepressibles would be complete, and the 
fourteen children who always played together in the city would be reunited and spend 
the rest of the summer together. What fun they would have playing at keeping 
house in one of the unused cottages, with the small tots, cunning little babes in long 
clothes for their children, and the older boys for their papas, while they would be 
mammas, do their hair up, and wear dresses with long trains. 

For a few minutes after Gwendolyn and Natalie arrived, they were nearly smoth- 
ered with kisses and deafened by hearing the children all talk at once, and then each 
child tried to get them off by themselves to show them some very important thing. 
The babes were hugged and their pretty dimples kissed until they rebelled and the 
nurses at last rescued them from their over-zealous admirers. 

"Come, have a swing. There's a new rope so you need not be afraid of its break- 
ing when you go high," said Lolita. 

"Yes, and you should see the boys perform on. it," said Beatrice. 
"Speaking of boys ! here they come to see you. They did not expect you so 
soon, I guess, or they would have been here when you arrived," said Gene. 

"They have been across the lake," said Frances, "trying a new fishing place." 
"Hurrah girls !" called the boys as soon as they caught sight of them. "We did 
not expect you for half an hour yet as that old train is always late. Excuse our 
looks and dirty hands for you know what fishing is," they said, 

79 



8o 



FRANCES AND THE IRREPRESSIBLES 



"We are glad that you have come, for we have missed you dreadfully," said 
Munro. 

"You see all the boys but Munro had their best girls, which made it the more 
lonesome for him," said William. 

"Come down to the lake and we will give you a row before supper," said Arthur. 

"Oh ! no. Come over to see the 
pretty little calves in the pasture," said 
Caryl. "There is one Frances calls the 
sapphire-eyed calf because it has the 
bluest eyes you ever say. And there is 
a pure white one, and a beautiful black 
and white one, left for you girls, which 
you will have to draw cuts for. We 
each have one for our very own that Miss 
Amelia and Miss Elizabeth gave us." 

"No, no, no ! They must first see 
the cabin. How could you forget it," 
said Munro. 

"To be sure !" they all said. "How 
could we think of anything else first?" 

Away they ran through the garden 
by the shortest cut to the beloved cabin, 
while the smaller children went to the 
milk-house for a drink. 

"Oh ! Did you ever see anything so 
perfectly lovely?" exclaimed Gwendolyn, 
clapping her hands. 

"No ; I never did. It is too cozy 
for anything, and how beautiful the 
blossoming vines look climbing over it 
and the window boxes full of scarlet 
geraniums," said Natalie. 

"Now, come up into the watch tower we have told you so much about," and 
they all climbed the winding stairs leading to the seats in the elm tree. Here they 
sat and told the newcomers all about the tramps and the vaudeville performance. 
"What is that mournful sound I hear?" asked Gwendolyn. 





r -^ 








.\ 


^ 


j^^M^A 


L 


m 


1*^^"^ 

■^^^^1 
^^^1 


► 



ALICE ROSELIA. 



AT BUENA VISTA FARM 



8i 



"It is our mourning doves," said Champlain. 

''Gracious ! They are well named," said Gwendolyn," for the sounds they make 
are dreadfully plaintive and sad." 

"I should say they were. 
They give me the creeps," 
said Natalie. 

"When you are rested we 
will take you to see our dove- 
cotes and pigeon houses," said 
William. . 

"You may believe they 
are worth seeing, too," said 
Caryl. 

"How about Gene's and 
my ducks being worth looking 
at?" asked Arthur, with his 
head thrown back and a comi- 
cal expression on his face. 

"And my peacocks," 
added Regis. 

"Your peacocks !" ex- 
claimed Lolita in a disgusted 
tone. "Our peacocks, you 
mean. I guess I put in as 
much money as you." 

"Excuse me, my dear," 
said Regis. "Our peacocks, 
ladies and gentlemen." 

"There goes the gong for 
supper, so we must hurry 
back," said Munro. 

"Oh, fiddlesticks ! I hate 
to go back. I should like to 

stay here all night it is so cool and pleasant after the heat and dust in the cars," said 
Gwendolyn. "I just love it here." 

"I'll tell you what, Gwen ! You and I can live here when we play 'housekeeping,' 




THD TWINS, CHARLKS AND ROBERT DONNELLEY. 



82 



FRANCES AND THE IRREPRESSIBLES 



for the rest are going to play 'live in an apartment house,' in one of the cottages," said 
Frances. 

"Oh! that will be fine," said Gwendolj'n. 

"Where did you say the rest were going to live?" asked Natalie. 
"Over in one of the cottages near the farmhouse. No one has rented it this year, 
so we can play it is a fashionable apartment house and two couples rent it, each couple 
taking one floor, and then we can visit each other and take tea. Then two other couples, 
can have one of the cute three-roomed cottages down by the spring. That will sepa- 
rate us enough to make it fun to visit each other," said Frances. 

"Oh ! bother that old supper bell. I want to begin playing right away. I can't 
bear to wait until to-morrow," said Gwendolyn. 

"Never mind," said Beatrice, "we have 
learned to play the j oiliest new game since we 
came here. It is called, "Whom will you marry ?" 
"How do you play it?" asked Natalie. 
"We will show you to-night," said Lolita. 
"Tell us something of what it is like," said 
Gwendolyn. 

"Well !" said Lolita, "we draw cards and the 
first one will tell what your husband will look like." 
"Yes, and the next, what your wedding dress 
will be," chimed in Gene. 
"And the next, how many bridesmaids you will have and how they will be 
dressed," said Frances. 

"It goes on in this way until you know all about the looks of your future husband 
or wife and whether he or she will have red hair and be squint-eyed, or be handsome 
and rich," said Regis. 

"It is lots of fun, just the same," said Caryl, "for one person may get a rich 
husband and yet ride to her wedding in a wheelbarrow." 

"And after marriage you may live in a dugout or in a palace on the Hudson," 
said Arthur. 

"I am just crazy to play it. Aren't you, Natalie?" asked Gwendolyn. 
"Gene, I can beat you running to the house," said Arthur. 

"No ; you can't," said Gene, and away they flew. It was a pretty even match at 
first, but finally Gene stubbed her toe and fell, scratching her arm on the sharp stubble 
of the fielG. 




THB TWINS AT THE MIIvK-HOUSE. 



AT BUENA VISTA FARM 



83 



"Are you hurt ?" called Arthur, running back to see. 

"Yes, I am," said Gene, twisting her arm around so she could see it, and when 
she saw that it was bleeding she began to cry for it seemed to hurt twice as much 
when she could see blood as when there was only a bruise. 

"Oh ! don't be a baby, Gene," said Champlain, coming up to where she stood. "It 
will be all right in a minute." 




GENS AND ARTHUR'S DUCKS. 



"Oh, yes! it will be all right because it is my arm, but you would not think the 
same if it were yours," said Gene, pouting. 

"Look in the barnyard," cried Munro. "The pigs are out of the pens. Let's go 
and help catch them." 

The scratched arm was soon forgotten and all the Irrepressibles were soon chas- 
ing the pigs, which ran in and around, up and over things, blindly refusing to see the 



84 



FRANCES AND THE IRREPRESSIBLES 



wide open door of the pen. And such a noise as they made! The pigs squealed all 
the time and the children screamed an accompaniment. 

"Bots, come here! come here! and help me head this pig off!'' called Arthur. 
Bots ran to his assistance to prevent the pig from going into the cowyard, but 
alas ! when Arthur spread his legs to keep piggie from passing, the little rascal rushed 
straight oetween them, and, as Arthur was short and fat he took a backward ride on 
the pig for a few steps and then fell off on a pile of straw. 

The unusual advent of a lot of pigs and children amongst them, upset the nerves 
of the quiet old cows and they made a stampede for the open gate, but were stopped by 

the girls waving their skirts at them and jumping 
up and down. All the girls did this but Beatrice 
and Lolita. They were afraid of cows, so when 
they saw them getting excited and trying to get 
out of the yard, they ran and climbed upon a part- 
ly-unloaded rack of hay so the cows could not 
reach them. 

Soon the cows were shut in the yard and the 
pigs back in the pen and then Regis came to help 
Lolita and Beatrice down. When he saw where 
they were it reminded him of the good hay-rides 
they had taken the summer before, so he said : 
"What do you all say to our coaxing Miss Amelia to let us have a hay-ride to-night? 
It will be moonlight and this wagon has just enough hay on it to make it comfortable 
to ride on." 

"Goodie! Goodie! Goodie! Let's!" they all cried, and forthwith ran to get per- 
mission from Miss Elizabeth and Miss Amelia. 

"Too ! Too ! Too ! There goes the horn to call us to supper for the fourth time," 
said Munro. "We must hurry." 

"My supper bell rang long ago," said Regis. 
"So did mine," said Arthur. 

"It is not often they have to ring more than one bell for us, for we are generally 
so hungry that we can scarcely wait until meal time," said William. 

"Do you have any more of those nice stuffed eggs we used to have ?" asked Natalie. 
"Yes, and that honey that we used to buy at White Clover Farm?" asked 
Gwendolyn. 

"Yes, lots of it and I think we are going to have some of it to-night with hot 




the; quiet old cows. 



AT BUENA VISTA FARM 



85 



biscuits, cold tongue, and potato salad," said Gene, "for I came through the kitchen on 
my way out and saw them fixing the eggs, potatoes and honey." 

"Hurrah! Let's hurry!" said Billy and Bots. 

"Did anybody say honey?" asked 
Champlain. "That lets me in if they 
did." 

"Where in the world have you 
children been?" was the greeting they 
received when they entered the dining- 
room and found nearly every one had 
eaten and gone except IMiss Amelia and 
Miss Elizabeth, who were waiting for 
them. 

After telling what they had been 
doing they commenced to coax for a 
hay-ride that night, but were persuaded 
out of it by Miss Amelia's telling- them 
that they could not have half as good 
a one to-night as they could to-morrow 
night, for then they- could get an early 
start and take their supper with them 
and come home by moonlight. This was 

a better plan than theirs and they willingly gave up and it was decided that they 
would go to Lake Winnebago; would build bonfires on its shore, have supper there, 
and then drive home in the moonlight. 




the: HAY-RIDEi 





Chapter 9. 

STORIES AND PLANS. 

NE cold, rainy night when the wind was blowing a perfect gale outside, 
driving the rain against the window-panes in slieets, the children built 
a roaring log fire in the grate in the living-room and then arranged 
themselves in a semi-circle round it, some lying on their stomachs on 
the floor with their heels in the air ; others, lying flat on their backs with 
pillows under their heads ; and still others sitting curled up in big arm 
chairs : all getting close to the blaze so that they could feel its warmth and see the 
sparks fly up the chimney as a log fell asunder, demolishing the pictures of houses, 
churches, animals, and people which they imagined they saw in the flames and embers. 
Silence had lasted for some time when suddenly Munro said, "Let us tell a story, 
commencing with Lolita who is first on the right of the circle, and ending with Regis 
who is on the extreme left. Each one must tell what would make a chapter in a book 
and the next person must take it up and go on with the story just where the last 
left off." 

"I speak to be last! I speak to be last!" they all cried in chorus. 
"Every one is to tell in turn and we must commence with Lolita or with Regis 
because they are at the ends of the semi-circle," said Munro. 

"Well then, Regis, you commence for you are a better story-teller than I," said 
Lolita. 

"You are right, he is a bigger fibber than you, Lolita," said Billy. 
"Oh, I don't mean that," said she. 

"We all know what you mean and that you are too timid to say anything ugly 
right out," said Arthur. 

"I think you boys are too mean for anything ! You always put the wrong mean- 
ing to everything one says, you love to tease so." 

"Well, never mind. We will let you oft' easy this time." said Billy, "and we will 
make Regis begin. Start the story, my boy." 

86 



AT BUENA VISTA FARM 87 

Regis crossed one leg over the other, clasped his hands round his knees and fixing 
his eyes on the fire, began in a sepulchral tone to recite : 

"Listen, my children, and you shall hear 
Of the midnight ride of Paul Revere." 

"Here ! here ! stop that. No reciting. This story must be original and in prose. 
No poetry or blank verse," they all called out. 

"Very well then, children, just cast your eyes into the right hand corner of the 
grate and you will see a stately castle all in flames, with a lovely lady sitting in an upper 
chamber. Surrounding the castle is a moat. On the opposite side you will perceive 
two dark figures hastening to her relief. They reach the moat, when lo ! they find the 
drawbridge is up and there is no way to reach the imperiled lady. Now, you must 
know that these flying figures are knights in armor, suitors for the lady's hand in 
marriage. As I said before — Now, Dickey, you go on v/ith the story. It is your 
turn," said Regis, stopping abruptly with his voice raised. 

"Oh, bother, I can't go on with your crazy story," said Dickey. 

"Yes, you can. Stave ahead," said Regis, giving him a slap on the back. 

"Well, then, the two knights reach the bridge but find it raised and so one runs 
up and down the shore looking for a boat or some means of getting across the moat 
while the other strips off his coat and plunges into the cold, deep waters, hoping to 
swim to his lady-love's assistance," added Dickey, Frances took it up and said : 

"The flames roared and crackled, mounting higher and higher toward the window 
where their sweetheart waved her arms in despair while she called for help. Little 
did she know that two brave gallants were making every effort to reach her and to 
save her from a horrible death. Just as the knight's head appeared above the wall 
he had scaled, after swimming the moat, a terrible explosion was heard and he saw the 
castle with his lady-love still at the window, go up in smoke," 

"Oh, Frances, what made you end it that way? Flow are we to go on with it 
after the heroine has been killed in the first chapter?" 

"I'll tell you why I ended it. Because I think the story a stupid one and so let's 
get some corn, butter and salt, and pop corn instead of telling stories. The fire is 
just right since the castle fell in ashes for it has made lovely coals." 

"Bully for you, Frances ! That's lots better than telHng stories, especially as it 
was my turn next," said Caryl. 

Soon the big bread pan was heaped high with the tender, snow-white kernels and 
Natalie was pouring the melted butter over it when she was surprised to hear a voice 
over her head say : "Pour lots of butter on, 'cause I like it dat way," and she immedi- 



88 FRANCES AND THE IRREPRESSIBLES 

ately recognized Dorothy's voice, but where in the world could she be? The windows 
were closed, yet the voice could be plainly heard over her head. Looking up she 
saw a little round, fat, dimpled arm thrust through the stovepipe hole in the ceiling. 
It disappeared, and looking up again she saw Dorothy's face with its usual mischievous 
grin, pressed close to the hole. 'T is tummin' right down to det some. Don't let the 
boys eat it all up till I det dere." 

"Oh, Dorothy, for mercy's sake, you are around all day in mischief, can't you stay 
in bed at night?" 

''No, I tant, 'cause it smells too dood." Then the patter of little bare feet was 
heard in the hall and in a moment more Dorothy appeared, holding up one corner of 
her nightgown, looking too sweet for an3'thing, with her curly hair all in a tangle over 
her eyes and her little toes peeping out from under the hem of her gown as she 
walked. 

"Come here, dear, and sister will wrap you up in this shawl so you will not take 
cold while you eat your corn," said Estelle. 

At first she took up one kernel at a time and ate it slowly, when chancing to look 
at Dickey she saw him fill his mouth with a handful. After this she was afraid she 
would get left so she commenced to stuff her mouth with handfuls at a time. She had 
nearly choked herself eating in this way when Deborah appeared in the door with 
scared face inquiring if any ^one had seen Dorothy. 

"Debba, why can't oo stay in bed? Oo is alius taggin' me evywhere. Did oo 
smell dis corn and tome to det some? It is awful nice. Tome and I'll give oo some 
of mine." 

"Now, dear, you have had some corn and you must run along to bed," said Estelle. 

"Vely well, but don't oo make lasses tandy affer Ise in bed or I'll tome back aden. 
Mind now !" 

"Here, petsy, give brother a kiss before you go, won't you?" 

"I'll give evyone a tiss." 

This was something she seldom did and they wondered at her willingness, but the 
reason was soon made plain when she volunteered to go round the circle a second time 
and give them all another kiss. It was not for the love of kissing but to gain time and 
stay a little longer. To Caryl and Billy she gave two kisses and a hug, too, but to 
Regis she gave but one and that on the tip of his nose because he always teased her 
so. After she had gone they commenced to plan what they would do on the morrow. 
William, Caryl, and Arthur were for making traps and setting them in the woods. 

"What do you expect to catch in them?" asked the girls. 




Natalie Donnelley 
(S9) 



AT BUENA VISTA FARM 91 

"Weasels, hedgehogs, skunks, and squirrels." 

"Oh ! for mercy's sake, don't trap any skunks or you will have to be buried a 
week to get rid of the smell," said Gene. 

"A good place to set the weasel and skunk traps would be down by the chicken- 
house, for Miss Elizabeth said something had been carrying off her chickens lately," 
said Arthur. 

"That is just where we will put them and we will let Dickey go and look in first 
to see if there are any skunks in the traps, for you know he always likes to be first," 
said Billy. 

"Look first yourself," said Dickey. "I don't care to have my clothes buried any 
more than you do yours." 

"I hope we can catch a nice, big grey squirrel," said Billy, "and then we can have 
it stuffed and set up for the cabin." 

"What are you going to bait your traps with?" asked Champlain. 

"Asafcetida." 

"Asafoetida! You surely don't mean to use the smelly stuff!" exclaimed Bea- 
trice in a disgusted voice. 

"Certainly I do, just to make the traps smell natural to the skunk so he will think 
some other skunk has been there before him. You know, asafcetida is about the 
worst smelling stuff there is, next to a skunk, and I have heard hunters say that it 
will catch them when nothing else will," said Arthur. 

"But what are you going to do with them after you catch them ?" asked Kitty. 

"Skin them, cure the skins and sell them for furs when we get back to the city," 
said Caryl. 

"What are you going to bait the squirrel traps with?" asked Gene. 

"With plump, fat nuts," said Billy. "That will fetch them." 

"Gee ! hear the wind blow, and the trees and rain beat against the windows. I am 
glad I don't have to be out such a night as this," said Regis. 

"I'm tired sitting still around the fire. Let's play charades," said Gene. 

To this they all consented, and from then on until bedtime they had one charade 
after another until all had taken part, while the older people were their audience. The 
last words they called out when they went to bed were : "Be sure to get up early so 
we can set the traps." 

The next morning they were up bright and early, and, long before breakfast, had 
commenced to build their traps so that they could finish and bait them before night. 
They worked like beavers and while they worked, the girls drove to town for the asa- 



92 FRANCES AND THE IRREPRESSIBLES 

foetida and nuts to set them with. They returned about noon and while at the dinner- 
table they made every one laugh at the funny experience they had had in getting the 
asafoetida. 

"You see," said Frances, "we bought it at the drugstore and that affected, blonde- 
haired, squint-eyed dude of a clerk waited upon us. When we asked for such a 
quantity, he said : 'Beg pardon, did I hear aright, young ladies ? You want asa- 
foetida?' We said we did. Then he said, T am afraid you have made a mistake in 
the drug you are asking for and that you do not know its properties.' Then for fun, I 
said: 'Do you mean its smelling properties?' He said, 'Yes.' Then I said: 'We 
are not going to use it for perfume but to set traps for skunks.' 

"When I said that we thought he would fall over, he looked so shocked, but he 
started to get it and when he came back he carried it at arm's length between two 
shingles, while his head was turned to one side so he need not inhale the odor. 

"Really, it almost made us sick but we would not let on before him, for worlds. 
Beatrice had to go to the door pretending to look after the horse. Gene took up a 
bottle of household ammonia so she would not get the smell from the asafoetida and 
it nearly knocked her head off it was so strong, and all this time I had to swallow and 
hold on to myself, it was nauseating me so, and I was wondering how in the world we 
were going to be able to endure the smell long enough to get it home, when suddenly, 
the clerk turned pale, put his hand to his mouth and ran out of the back door of the 
store, and soon another man came and finished doing up the package and he held his 
breath and looked as sour as a pickle. At last it was wrapped up and I bought a bottle 
of white rose perfume and then and there soaked my handkerchief in it and held it 
to my nose, as I took the nasty stuff to carry it out to the buckboard where the girls 
had gone before me. 

"Just as I got to the door of the store I met old Mrs. Brown, and, of course, she 
had to stop me to inquire after all the family in general and each member in particular. 
She had finished asking about Madame, Miss Amelia, and Miss Elizabeth and was be- 
ginning on our family when, all of a sudden, she said : 'How the glue factory does 
smell this morning ! I never noticed it so far in town before. It is certainly thick 
enough to cut with a knife.' 

"All this time, while she was making her inquiries about the family, I was holding 
the package of asafoetida nearer and nearer her nose, and at the same time holding 
my own nose tighter and tighter with the perfume-soaked handkerchief. I am sure I 
don't know how much longer she would have stood there talking had not Mrs. Smith, 
her best friend, come along just then and carried her off, and the last words I heard 



AT BUENA VISTA FARM 



93 



her say were, Tt is a perfect outrage to have a gkie factory so near town that its 
nauseating odors can blow over it and destroy the comfort of its citizens.' 

'T stuck the stuff under the back seat of the buckboard and then I took a long 
breath and we drove to the market. Here we met two boys we knew and thev came 
out to speak to us. Gene and Lolita were in the back seat and the boys came and stood 
at the back to talk to them. Of course, they got the full benefit of the odorous pack- 
age. Presently, one of them said : 'Holy Moses ! There must be something dead round 
here,' and he began looking in the gutter to see if he could discover what it was. The 
other boy said : 'I guess the girls have some limburger under the seat.' 

'■'■ 'That is it. Won't you have a slice?' I asked. But he declined with thanks. 

"We started for home and with every bump in the road the package was stirred 
up and smelled worse than ever, so that at last Gene and Lolita climbed over the seat 
and sat with me." 

"Yes, and we would have thrown the stuff 
away, only we wanted you boys to have a smell of it 
and beside we wanted to catch a skunk to see what 
it is like," said Gene. 

"The next time you boys want asafoetida, you 
will have to go and buy it yourselves for I feel as 
though I should never be able to smell anything else 
again as long as I lived," said Lolita. 

As soon as dinner was over the girls put on 
high shoes and old dresses, preparatory to going to 
the swamp with the boys to set the groundhog traps 
and through the brambles and the weeds to set the 
skunk and squirrel traps. When they reached the spot where they intended to place 
them, Billy took a clothes-pin from his pocket and put it on his nose. Then he freely 
rubbed some asafoetida all over the inside of the trap, propped open the door and 
then ran to the lake, which was only a few yards away, and scrubbed his hands to get 
the smell off before he removed the clothes-pin from his nose. 

Arthur had brought a pocketful of clothes-pins and they each put one on and 
went walking about until Kitty said they should call themselves the Clothes-pin 
Brigade. 

At last every trap was set and baited and they returned to the house to impatiently 
await the morning when they could inspect them to see if anything was caught. 




WHERE THEY SET THE TRAPS. 




Chapter 10. 

THE CULPRIT. 

T was barely daylight the next morning when Dickey, chancing to awake 

early, thought he would go take a peep at the traps before any of the 

others were up ; so he crept out of bed and hurriedly dressed. Cautiously 

raising his window, he crept out on the veranda roof and slid to the 

ground so that no one would see him pass the doors. Once away from 

the house he ran through the wet grass, heavy with dew, through the 

woods, only stopping once and that was when he slipped and fell on the clayey path 

which left a long streak of yellow mud on his clothes. Little did he think at the time 

what trouble that mud mark was going to cause him. 

He soon came to the first skunk trap but there was nothing in it. Then, pushing 
away the bushes, he crawled along until he came to Munro's squirrel trap. Could he 
believe his eyes? The trap door was down and he could distinctly hear little squeaks 
coming from the inside. He crept close to it and looking through a knot hole in the 
top saw the fur of a grey squirrel. Now, if there was one thing more than another 
which Dickey was crazy for it was a grey squirrel to take home with him. Why hadn't 
the squirrel gone into his trap instead of into' Munro's ? Perhaps there was one in his. 
He hurried off to see. Oh, joy! There was something in it for the door was down. 
Maybe a big squirrel twice as large as the one in Munro's trap ! Now, the question 
was how to get it out and not get bitten. 

"I'll take off my coat, tie the cuff end of my sleeve, thus making a bag and then 
throw it over the top before I open the door, so when I do raise it, he will run into 
my sleeve, thinking it a hole he can hide in and then I can wrap him up and carry 
him home." 

He did all this but no squirrel ran out. What could be the matter? Had the trap 
killed him when the door dropped shut ? He threw aside his coat and lifting the door, 
peeped under. Imagine his disappointment at finding nothing there. Even the nuts 
were eaten. 

94 



AT BUENA VISTA FARM 



95 



"It was probably the squirrel in Munro's trap that ate my nuts and then went 
over to his to try the same trick there and so got caught," thought Dickey. 'T be- 
lieve under the circumstances, that he belongs to me, so I am going to take him out of 
Munro's trap and put him in mine. Then I will go back to the house and to bed, never 
letting the children know that I was here, and when they see the squirrel in my trap 
they will think it belongs to me." 

A little voice whispered : "What a mean, sneaky thing to do ! and to a friend who 
has always been good to you." 

"I know," Dickey argued with the voice, "but Munro don't know and beside, he 
does not want a squirrel half as much as I do." 

"How do you know?" asked the voice." "Beside, this is stealing." 

"Well ! I'm going to do it anyhow," and he refused to listen longer to that still, 
small voice. "He will never know, and I have wanted a squirrel so long." So he 
caught it as he had planned and shut it up in his own trap. Then he hurried back 
to the house, climbing in the same way that he had come out. 

He had just taken off his wet, muddy shoes and clothes and crept into bed when 
Bots yawned and, opening his sleepy eyes, said : "Come ! let's get up and wake the 
gang to see if there is anything in our traps." 

"Oh, I'm too sleepy," answered Dickey, after he had let Bots call him a number of 
times, pretending he was asleep. 

"Oh, you sleepy-head, come on! We will just have time before breakfast. I am 
going to call the rest anyway." 

When he went to knock on Munro's door, he heard voices and knew the boys 
were awake if not up, so he went in. He found Munro, Regis, and Billy with their 
heads close together in an animated, whispered conversation. 

"What is up ?" cried Bots. 

"Sh ! Keep it dark. Close the door and come here," said Regis. 

"Where has Dickey been so early in the morning?" they asked in chorus. 

"Where has he been ! Why, in bed to be sure. Are you fellows crazy ?" 

"No, stupid, but we thought as you roomed with Dickey that you might be able 
to tell us where Dickey went in the wee, small hours of the morning and why he pre- 
ferred to climb in the window rather than to come in at the door," said Regis. 

"Oh, stop your fooling and come on to the woods. I want to see if we have caught 
anything in our traps." 

"By Jo !" said Billy, clapping his knee, "that is just where Dickey has been." 

"Perhaps it is, but he must have been up to some mischief or one of his sneak- 



96 FRANCES AND THE IRREPRESSIBLES 

ing tricks, or he would never have been up so early, nor would he have sneaked off 
alone," said Arthur, who had come into the room some time before. 

"And you say he pretended to be too sleepy to get up?" asked Munro. ''See 
here, Bots. You see from where my bed stands that I can look out of the window. 
Well, while I was lying here awake, trying to summon spunk enough to get up, I saw 
Dickey come running toward the house from the direction of the woods. I kept still, 
intending to call to him when he went by, but after giving him plenty of time to get in 
the house, I commenced to wonder why he did not pass my door. Then I heard a 
slight noise on the roof of the veranda outside of my window. I jumped up just in 
time to see Dickey's heels disappearing through his window which opens on this ver- 
anda. I still kept quiet thinking I would wait to see what explanation he would make 
for his early morning prowl, and now you say he pretends to be too sleepy to get up 
when it can't be ten minutes since I saw him climb through the window. Most likely 
he just tumbled into bed when you woke up. Let us all get dressed and go to the 
traps without him if he don't care to come and we will soon see if he has been there 
before us." 

Bots went back to his room to dress, and on his way there he pounded on the door 
of the girls' room and found that they were all up and nearly ready. 

"We will meet you all at the swing," called Frances, when he knocked at her 
door. 

Dickey was partly dressed when Bots returned to his room. Just to see what ex- 
cuse he would give for his wet shoes, Bots pretended to pick up his shoe for one of 
his own. 

"Why, how in the dickens did my shoe get so wet last night? No, this isn't my 
shoe. It's yours that I picked up by mistake. Well, just the same I should like to know 
how yours could- get wet when it didn't rain last night. Besides they are covered with 
wet, sticky clay." 

"Oh, I got them wet and muddy last night when I came home from the woods and 
they have not dried yet," Dickey answered. 

"That is strange, for I got mine just as wet and muddy as you did yours but they 
are as dry as a bone now." 

"Well, I can't help it if yours did get dry and mine didn't," answered Dickey in a 
surly voice, at the same time turning his head away. 

"Come on, fellows. Don't stop to prink," called Billy from the hall. 

As they were walking to the woods Regis said : "Say, Dickey, you forgot to 



AT BUENA VISTA FARM 



97 



brush your coat. It is all mud and so are your pants. It looks as if you had slipped 
heels over liead in the mud somewhere." 

"Here, stop and I will brush it off," said Munro. 

Oh, leave it alone. I don't care," said Dickey. 

Munro paid no attention but walked up to him 
and tried to brush it off, but it would not brush 
off. It was too wet. "Why, this is fresh mud. 
You must have been out early to get this on," said 
Munro. 

"I'll bet you have been down to the traps be- 
fore us," said Regis, "for I recognize that mud as 
some from the clayey path in the woods." 

"What are you talking about? Do you suppose I 
would be such a donkey as to get up before sunrise and 
go to see the traps ?" 

"Well, I don't know. Stranger things than that 
have happened," answered Arthur. 

"I am not so anxious to catch something as all 
that, beside, I don't expect to find anything in my trap 
when we get there." 

Presently, they came in sight of the first trap, 
which was Munro's, the one from which Dickey had 
taken the squirrel. 

"Look, boys, look !" exclaimed Munro, "my trap 
is shut. I must have caught something." He hastened 
forward and peeped in the same knot hole that Dickey 
had looked through but he saw nothing, so he cau- 
tiously raised the door and looked in, but the trap was 
empty. "Well, that is mighty strange! How could 
an animal get away with my bait and not get caught ? 
I baited it very carefully but it is gone just the same. 
But come, look here, boys ! There is grey fur and fresh blood on this nail. How do 
you account for that? And still the squirrel, for squirrel it must have been, is gone, 
but, stranger still, how did it get out with the door shut, unless it was helped out ? 
Answer me that if you can ?'' 




DICKEY DOOLITTLE ON ROI^LER- 
SKATES. 



98 FRANCES AND THE IRREPRESSIBLES 

"Yes, I will," raid Regis. "Here are some one's tracks around the trap. Some 
one has been here before us and has stolen the prize." 

"You are right. There has been some one here," said Arthur. "I have been 
examining the footprints and they are all of a size." 

"Probably some bad boy from town has been here," said Dickey, for he was get- 
ting badly scared. 

"These tracks are too small for my shoes," said Arthur. 

"And too big for mine," said Billy, trying to fit his foot into one. 

"Come, every one put his foot in a print and we will soon find out who the cul- 
prit is," said Munro. 

They all tried but Dickey, while he walked off toward one of the other traps, 
trying to look unconcerned. 

"Here, Dickey, corne back and measure. You are the only one who has not tried," 
called Billy. 

"Oh, rot ! I sha'n't do anything of the kind. I tell you it has been some boy 
from town." 

"We are not so sure of that. Come and measure or we will carry you and stick 
your foot in one of the tracks," said Munro. 

"Don't be a silly, Dickey. You are the only one who has not measured and it 
will look as if you are guilty if you refuse. Of course, we know your foot won't fit 
but come just for fun," called Kitty. 

"I sha'n't make such a fool of myself," he retorted, and continued to walk farther 
off. 

"See here, Dickey, you had better stop and explain how you got that mud on 
your coat so early in the morning, and how it is that these footprints have a big, 
round hole in the sole just where your shoe has one. You remember you made 
that hole by standing on a red hot coal the last time we built a bonfire." 

"I tell you I got that mud on last night as we were coming out of the woods." 

"Well, explain about these prints corresponding to the soles of your shoes then 
and who was it I saw, looking exactly like you, coming out of the woods and climb- 
ing through your window before any of us were up this morning?" said Munro. 

"Yes, and here is the squirrel he stole out of your trap, shut up in his," called 
Bots, who had walked over to Dickey's trap. 

At this news they all ran over to inspect the trap, but Dickey sat down on a 
log looking rather pale for he began to see that he was in a pretty tight place which 



AT BUENA VISTA FARM 



99 



he could not get out of with his usual ease. All the children forgot him for a moment 
in their excitement at finding a real, live squirrel in the trap. 

"How shall we get him out without hurting him? and how shall we get him out 
without his biting us?" they exclaimed. 

'T have it,"' said Bots. "Open the trap with a net thrown over it and then we can 
draw it around the squirrel and leave the trap." 

"A good idea," said Billy. "Wait until I run to the house and get a fly net." 

"No, stay here. I know where there is one nearer," said Frances. "It is in the 
boathouse and I will get it." 

"I suppose we should let Dickey have something to say about the squirrel found 
in his trap," said Munro, and he turned to look for him, but guilty Dickey had .taken 
advantage of their forgetfulness and had quietly disappeared. 

Soon Frances returned with the net and after much trouble they succeeded in 
getting the squirrel without injuring him in the least and he proved to be a fine speci- 
men with an exceedingly bushy tail. They carried him home and put him in an old 
squirrel cage which Miss Elizabeth had stored away in the garret. On close examina- 
tion, they found the squirrel had lost a bit of his fur just the size that they had found 
in Munro's trap, so that proved conclusively that he had been in there first and Munro 
was justly entitled to him. 

The next day a summons was served on Dickey to appear in Court to answer to 
the charge of sneaking, fibbing, and stealing. Court was to be held in the court- 
house (otherwise known as the hay-loft) at ten o'clock a. m. sharp. 

Awaiting the trial, Dickey was in dire disgrace and he was not allowed to enter 
into any of their games or to have anything to do with any of his comrades until he 
had cleared him.self, and failing to do that he would be obliged to submit to whatever 
punishment was meted out to him by the Judge and jurors. 

Early in the summer, the children had set up a Court, with Munro for Judge, 
Regis and William as lawyers, and the other children as sheriffs, clerks, jurors, and 
witnesses. All disputes were settled by bringing them before the Court and it was 
a clever way to settle all differences for it gave them good practice in governing them- 
selves as well as others. For instance, did any one do a mean thing, he was called 
to account by one of the sheriffs. Then he had the privilege of engaging Regis or 
William as a lawyer to defend him, and the other children made up the jury who 
listened to the merits of the case and decided as to the guilt or innocence of the one 
who had been accused. 

At ten o'clock sharp the next morning, the Court went into session, with Munro 
LofC. 



loo FRANCES AND THE IRREPRESSIBLES 

on the Judge's stand (which was a packing box turned downside up), and the twelve 
jurors at one side, on a beam, while the Constable stood beside the prisoner to prevent 
his escape, and the Bailiff was present to keep order in the court-room. 

Munro presided, his gavel on an improvised table before him, and Court was 
opened. First the jurors were sworn in, and then the case proceeded as is usual in 
courts of justice, from the impaneling of the jury to the final decision of the Judge, 
pronouncing sentence or acquittal as the case might be. 

Dickey was proven guilty of all three charges and his punishment was that he must 
either wear on his back for one entire week a placard with these words written across 
it in large letters : "Dickey Doolittle, The Sneak, Fibber, and Thief," or he was to 
be carried to the middle of the lake where the water was eighty feet deep and be ducked 
three times — first, to wash away the sin of sneaking ; second, to wash away the sin 
of fibbing ; and third, to wash away the sin of stealing. 

Unlike most decisions, with which a prisoner has nothing to say, Dickey was given 
his choice of punishment. He knew he could never stand it to live a whole week in 
the same house with the other children and to have to go around with that dreadful 
placard on his back, for, of course, no one would want to speak or to play with him ; 
so he chose the ducking. This punishment was meted out by Munro, William, Cham- 
plain, and Arthur, according to the order of the Court. They rowed him into the mid- 
dle of the lake one moonlight night and while Munro and William ducked him, 
Champlain, and Arthur balanced the boat to keep it from upsetting. He kicked and 
protested so that they had to tie his feet and hands and then they tied a rope around 
his body under his arms and soused him. After three duckings they undressed him 
and rubbed him down with coarse, dry towels until he w^as all in a glow, and then 
they rolled him in a, blanket, rowed him to shore and put him in a wheelbarrow, jolted 
him to the house and dumped him into bed. This was a lesson Dickey never forgot 
and he never fibbed or stole after that, you may be sure. 



Cbapter tl. 



A NEW PROJECT. 



THE Irrepressibles had now been on the farm about two months, as they 
came early in May and they expected to stay until about two weeks before 
school commenced in the fall. They all looked rosy and brown, while 
their muscles were well developed because of their work in their garden, 
their sailing, rowing, trolling, and swimming, and the outdoor life and 
good country air, to say nothing of the fresh, wholesome food which had 

done them all a world of good. 

Come with me and I will give you a peep at their cabin garden and you will see 

that where early in the summer was an unploughed hazel thicket, there is now a well 

kept garden with cleanly weeded beds of vegetables 

in even rows and also beds of sweet smelling flowers 

without number, the whole enclosed within a wire 

fence that is completely hidden by sweet peas, nas- 
turtiums, morning glories, and flowering beans. 

Around these blossoms humming birds flutter and 

fly all day long while the bees fairly get drunk with 

the sweetness of the honey-laden flowers. As the 

strawberries ripen, they are picked and packed in 

cute-shaped baskets made of Indian sweet-grass, and 

are decorated with a few cut flowers to make them 

more tempting. These, with the vegetables tied in 

attractive bunches, with all dead leaves picked off, 

are packed in large crates and taken to Fond du Lac 

where they are sold to the leading grocers. 

The children take turns in driving to town 

twice a week in their pony cart. The proceeds from their sales are then placed in the 

bank to the account of the Irrepressibles, and you would be surprised to know how 




FLOWERS 



FROM the; 

GARDEN. 



CHILDREN'S 



lOI 



102 



FRANCES AND THE IRREPRESSIBLES 



fast this deposit grew. The children always got good prices for their truck as the 
people were willing to pay nearly twice as much for them as they paid the farmers in 
that vicinity, for it was always select and put up in an attractive way. Knowing there 
was only a limited supply of these choice things, the people were willing and eager to 
get them at a good price, and three times as much could just as easily have been sold. 
Of course doing this for fun they did not care to spend all their time in gardening. 

One day when Munro and Regis were driving back from town with their empty 
cart, Regis conceived the idea of raising chickens and selling eggs and young broilers. 

He suggested it to Munro, who approved 
it at once, and in ten seconds the boys 
were talking and planning hen-houses and 
different breeds of chickens, which were 
best for laying and which best for setting. 
Suddenly Munro said: "I have it! Say 
we let all the Irrepressibles into the 
scheme ; make a pool of our money, buy 
an incubator and go into it wholesale." 

"Gee Willikens! We will do it!" 
said Regis, and they whipped up the 
ponies that they might reach home the 
sooner and impart their new scheme to 
the Band, as they called themselves. 

"Come here, Snookes and Snooker- 
eens," called Regis, as he jumped out of the cart almost before the horse had stopped. 
"We have something to tell you. Where are they all ?" he asked as only three or four 
appeared. 

"Don't ask me," said Gene. 

So the three or four that were there set up such unearthly noises, whistling through 
their fingers and giving Indian war-whoops, that in a short time the missing ones be- 
gan to appear. They came from all directions : out of the haymow, up from the lake 
or spring, down from the trees as they had a great habit of taking a book, climbing 
a tree, and reading while sitting among its branches. 

"What the dickens is all this fuss about ?" asked Billy, as. he dropped out of a 
sweet apple tree where he had been regaling himself for the last half hour, while Ar- 
thur came lounging along with his hair full of hay and a book under his arm, so it 
was plain to be seen where he had been. 




THE CHIIvDREN TAKE TURNS IN DRIVING. 



AT BUENA VISTA FARM 



103 



The girls came from Columbia Cottage, one of the cottages on the place, and all 
were dressed in grown-up people's clothing for they had been playing they were ladies 
and each lived in a different room of the cottage and then they would call on each 
other ; and they had great fun with Robert, Dorothy, Alice Roselia, the twins, and 
the two babies, Ann Elizabeth and Graveraet, for their children. Dorothy objected 
to being a baby because she wanted to be a lady and have long dresses on, but they 
succeeded in buying her off by giving her half a stick of candy and a sweet, yellow 
apple. Robert was given the other half of Dorothy's stick of candy and an apple, so 
was perfectly willing to play little baby and be dressed in long clothes just so that he 
could be with Dorothy. 

"Now, what did you call us for?" asked Frances. 

"Come and sit on the hay-cock over there under the tree and we will tell you," 
said Munro. 

"Chuck, chuck, chuck ! Cock-a-doo-dle-doo !" crowed Regis as he walked slowly 
behind them and threw himself down on the grass 
beside Lolita, giving her curls a gentle pull now and 
then. 

"Now, Regis, tell them our scheme," said 
Munro. 

"No, go ahead and tell them yourself," said 
Regis. 

"Well then, we propose to have a chicken farm 
and to fence in some land on the other side of our 
cabin, then to build some chicken-houses and put 
incubators in them so we can go into the business 
on the wholesale plan ; and what we want to know 
is if you will all chip in and help us buy the incubator and the lumber for the hen- 
houses. When everything is complete we will sell the eggs and some of the young 
chickens. What do you say to our plan?" 

"It's bully!" said Dickey.. 

"Dandy !" said Billy. 

"Out of sight !" said Arthur. 

"Fine!" said Bots, while the girls all agreed that it would be great fun, and 
Dorothy asked : "Can I skeeze de 'ittle chickens all I wants to ?" 

"Nov/, listen a minute. Regis, look out ! You will break Dorothy's arm, pulling 
her over your head in that manner." 




'come; and sit on 

COCK." 



the: hay- 



I04 



FRANCES AND THE IRREPRESSIBLES 



"Oh, no, I won't. I am only trying to stop her cHmbing up my back. Her toes 
tickle my ribs so." 

"Den, det up and wide me on oor back and I won't tittle oor ribs any more," 
said the little one. 

"Dorothy darling ! do keep still a minute until brother is through and then Regis 
will give 3'ou a ride." 

"Will oo's?" she persisted. 

"Yes, of course, if you will stop buzzing in my ear. When you whisper you 
hold your mouth so close that I feel as if a bee had flown in and was trying to buzz 
my head off." 

"Silence in Court," called Arthur. 

"I propose," said Munro, "that we all take enough of our capital out of the bank 
to start our chicken farm and I am sure that in two months' time we will have more 
than double what we take out. Do you all agree that we do it?" 
"Yes, Judge, yes," they all responded. 

"Very well then ; some of us will have to go to town this afternoon to buy lumber 
for the hen-house and wire for the fences, while others stay at home and draw plans 
for the house and the rest lay out the grounds. I tell you, before we know it, all will 

be finished and we will be making money hand over 
fist." 

It was agreed that Munro, Regis, and Champlain 
go to town to buy the incubator, while Billy, Bots- 
ford, and Frances drew up the plans and Arthur and 
Dickey worked at the grounds. Natalie, Lolita, and 
Beatrice went to town with the boys. Gene and 
Kitty stayed to help Arthur and Dickey lay out the 
grounds, for the girls as well as the boys were to have 
a hand in this. 

For days the Irrepressibles worked untiringly 
and at the end of that time had as picturesque, convenient a chicken-farm as 
one could wish, with nice little runs all fenced off for the different breeds of 
chickens, and little water troughs in each, and cunning little places for them to 
run into the brooders when they felt cold. On top of each chicken-house was 
a bird-house and at one end of the yard a separate pigeon-house and yard where 
Frances, Beatrice, Natalie, Munro, Botsford, and Champlain had decided to raise high- 
grade pigeons, making carrier pigeons a specialty so they could train them to carry 







j^ 


t 




B|g^^ 


riKMiJ^Wj 


Hi 




PI^^H 




R 




L *"'" '\ ^/f 


-SS'^f^ 


8|^l 




^. 


^ '' 


i^^ 




m- ^<^^ 




-^^ 




^' 


^^^% 




wa^v 




<.<t . ' '"<•-, 





IN THE CHICKEN YARD. 



AT BUENA VISTA FARM 105 

notes short distances. When they decided to do this, Regis said Gwendolyn, LoHta, 
Billy and he, would go in for fancy peacocks and swans, and Arthur, Dickey, and Gene 
would have geese, turkeys, and ducks. 

Early and late the Irrepressibles worked over their incubator getting it in order, 
seeing about proper feed for the different kinds of fowls, and so the summer flew by on 
wings and they were happier and more contented than if they had idled away their 
time lying in hammocks or under the trees doing nothing, while they were daily ac- 
quiring a great deal of useful information. 




Cbapter 12. 



DOROTHY'S PRANKS. 




^UNNY, Munny ! come kicK, come kick to see de coot 'ittle tincy, wincy, 
weency piggies de old mamma pig has. Dere is seben of um in a row 
dettin dey's dinner all at oncetist," exclaimed Dorothy, bursting into the 
room where the children were sitting about, reading. This invitation 
was accepted with alacrity, for who ever saw a child, city-bred or coun- 
try-bred, who was not delighted with the sight of Httle, clean, white, 
baby pigs no larger than kittens? 

Books were thrown down in a hurry and away they all went to the barnyard to 
see Dorothy's new find. Arriving at the pig-sty they climbed up and peeked in. Sure 
enough, there lay seven little white pigs with pink noses and curly tails, eating break- 
fast beside their mother on a bed of clean straw. 

"Did you ever in your life see such pretty, clean pigs ?" exclaimed Lolita. 
"Never,'^ said Gene. "I always thought pigs were dirty things, but these are as 
clean as little kittens." 

"And dem all has dere tails quirly. Did de mamma pig put um up in quirl papers, 
do 00 fink?", questioned Dorothy. 

"Doesn't the mother pig seem proud of them?" asked Frances. "See, how con- 
tentedly she lays there giving occasional grunts of gratified pride." 

For three or four days Dorothy, Alice Roselia, Graveraet and Robert were sel- 
dom away from the pig-pen for long at a time. They seemed perfectly fascinated. 
The fifth day. Miss Amelia heard a terrible squealing going on and, looking out of 
the kitchen window, she saw Dorothy, Alice Roselia, and the two boys, each pulling 
along by a string a baby pig with a big ribbon bow on its neck. Throwing up the 
window, she called out : 

"Dorothy, how did you get those pigs out of the pen ?" 

"Um isn't pigs, Miss Amelia. Dey is pud dogs. Don't oo see dey's 'ittle quirly 
tails?" 

io6 



AT BUENA VISTA FARM 



107 



"Oh, Dorothy! you will certainly be the death of me yet, with your queer way of 
playing pigs are dogs, chickens are people, and that dolls are alive. Do tell me how you 
got the pigs away from their mother without being eaten up." 

"Well, -Miss Amelia, there was a 'ittle 
hole in de pen dust big nuff for the piggies 
to det froo but not big nuff for the mamma 
pig, so I tlimed up on the pen and took a 
rake and poked um froo and den Wobert 
and Graveraet grabbed um and held on 
while I poked anusser one froo so we all 
have one. Dem is pud dogs and dem has 
quirly tails. Hush ! Hush ! Stop dat 
squeelin' 00 silly, 'ittle fellows ! I'll have 00 
some milk out of the 'ittle bottle shissy 
oosed to feed the lamb wiv." 

"Dorothy, I am very sorry, but you 
must take the little pigs back to their 
mamma now or they will die. They are too 
young to be played with and I am afraid 
you have tied those strings too tightly 
around their necks. They can't get their 
breath. Look how that one is staggering ! 
See here, dear, if you will let me take them 
back to their mamma I will promise you 
that as soon as they are ten days old I will 
let you play with them all you want to." 

"Please, Miss Amelia, don't take um 
back. I had such a hard time gettin' um 
'ittle while." 

'T know, dear, but just hear how they are crying to go to their mamma, 
don't want to make them cry, do you?" 

"1 carry him. Miss Amelia, and den he won't kye," and she took the little pig 
in her arms and began to hush its cries as one would a baby by putting its little nose in 
her neck. "Look ! look ! Miss Amelia. Him is sucking my ear." 

The little pig on feeling something warm and soft, shut its eyes and rooted into 
Dorothy's soft cheek, thinking it had found its mamma. 




grave;rae;t young. 



and we only have played wiv um a 



You 



io8 FRANCES AND THE IRREPRESSIBLES 

The children went with Miss AmeHa to put the httle pigs back in the pen and 
then they wandered off, hand in hand, looking for something else to play with. 

"Let's tlime into the haymow and play we is birds, chilhm." 

When they came to the ladder that led to the mow it was a pretty long stretch 
for their little, short legs to reach from one round of the ladder to the next one above 
but they succeeded by pushing and boosting one another until all were in the loft. 
Once there, Dorothy said: "Watch me be a bird and fy," starting, as she spoke, to 
climb up on a beam where she stretched out her arms, holding her dress skirt in each 
hand to make wings, waved them back and forth for a time, and finally jumped 
off. 

"Didn't I fy awful far? Now I'll pull oo all up and oo be birdies too." 

This time she nearly pulled their arms out of their sockets in trying to get them 
up on the beam beside her, but each and every one of them would stand any amount 
of hurting in order to do just what Dorothy did. 

"Now let's say: 'One for an offer, two for a show, free to make ready and four 
to do,' like Munny and shissy do when dey jump." 

Robert repeated this after Dorothy and then they both jumped, Robert hitting 
his chin with his knee, making him bite his tongue, but alas! Dorothy did worse than 
this for she sat down squarely in a hen's nest, breaking the eggs all over her dress. 
Some old hen had stolen her nest away and had laid an egg there day after day pre- 
paratory to sitting on them and hatching out a brood of chickens. Now, poor thing ! 
she would be doomed to bitter disappointment; and Dorothy's dress was a sight to 
behold with the yolks of the eggs running down her back. 

Alice Roselia and Graveraet took hold of hands and jumped at the same time, 
coming down nearly on top of each other and cracking their heads together, but neither 
cared. They only rubbed them and kissed each other's bumps to make them well, 
as mamma did. 

At last Dorothy went to the ladder expecting to climb down as she had climbed 
up but found that it was a very different matter and so they all decided to remain where 
they were until some one came for them. This did not bother them much at first but 
after awhile they began to get hungry and to want to go home. 

"Wobert, I hear somfin'. Don't oo 'spect it's a bear? Sure, Wobert, it's a dreat, 
bid, black bear! Tome and look down discrack. Hear him makin' a noise wiv him's 
mouth ready to eat us? I'se afraid, amn't oo, chillun?" 

Alice Roselia and Graveraet peeped through the crack and saw a great, big black 
thing with fur on it, right under them in the stall. The crack would only let them 



AT BUENA VISTA FARM 109 

see a portion of the bear or they would have seen Miss AmeHa's old black cow instead, 
but the}' did not know this. 

All of a sudden, the familiar hayloft took on a strange, weird look and they heard 
sounds everywhere, in the hay and overhead, and presently, something white, way up 
among the rafters of the barn, said, "Tee whit, tee whit, tee whoo-o ! Tee whit, tee 
whit, tee whoo-o !" This was too much. They hid their heads and clung to each other 
without uttering a cry for fear of arousing the big black bear, in under them. 

It seemed as though they had been there hours when they at last heard Deborah's 
voice calling : "Dorothy ! Alice Roselia ! Robert ! Graveraet ! Where in the world 
are vou?" They were afraid to answer until she came right under the ladder and 
called again : "Are you up there, pettie ?" 

"Ise here, Debba. Tome kick afore de bear eats 00." 

When Deborah's head appeared above the opening in the loft, she saw four poor 
little frightened children all huddled up, tightly clinging to each other. 

"Why, what is the matter, dearies, that you are afraid?'' asked Deborah in her 
kind voice. 

The children flew to her arms and sobbed out their grief and when she showed 
them that their bear was only the old black cow, they smiled through their tears, until 
suddenly remembering the "tee whit, tee whit, tee whoo-o" called out to them by the 
white thing up among the rafters, they again hid their heads in her lap and pointed 
upward. 

"So you were afraid of that old white owl, were you? Come here and I will show 
you how afraid of you he is," and Deborah led them under the rafter on which he was 
perched and taking a pitchfork poked his feet, which made him fly out of the barn in a 
hurry. 

When she took Dorothy up in her arms she felt how wet her dress was. "Why, 
darling!" she said, "what in the world did you sit down in?" 

"Oh ! I fordot. I jumped on a hen's, nest and smashed all her eggs. Won't her 
feel mad when her finds it out?" 

"Yes, she will be very provoked and I ought to be too, as this is the last clean dress 
you have. You have soiled so many this week by falling in the pond, spilling molasses 
candy down the front of your dress and meeting with other mishaps that it is hard to 
keep you in clean clothes." 

"But, Debba, 00 don't really mind, 'cause I didn't do naughty sings on purpose, 
'sides Ise drefful sorry, 'deed I is. Den I dives 00 one, two, free tisses, for not bein' a 
cross old sing." 




Chapter tS. 

THE SECRET. 

VERY one felt that there was something secret or mysterious in the wind 
but what it was no one could exactly tell. There was a great deal of 
whispering, hurrying and scurrying to and fro through the halls, ending 
in locked doors, and if one went into a room suddenly, something white 
was quickly thrown under the bed, covered up, or sat upon. Whatever 
could it be ? Dorothy was cross and angry at being shut out and would 
stand at the doors pounding to get in until her little fists were tired, or she had 
nearly made herself cross-eyed trying to see through the keyhole or under the door. 

Alas! one night the cat jumped out of the bag. It happened in this way: Miss 
Amelia went to Natalie's room to get a lamp. Thinking she was out, she did not 
knock but walked in unannounced. Imagine her amazement when she saw Natalie 
standing in the middle of the room attired in a wedding dress and veil. Frances 
was pinning some flowers in her hair, while Gene was on her knees fixing the folds 
of her train. 

Miss Amelia gave a gasp and asked in surprise : "Where in the world are you 
going dressed like that?" 

"Oh ! Miss Amelia ! It was to be a secret," cried Frances. 
"What was to be a secret?" 

"Why ! Our wedding, of course," was the answer. 

"Your wedding!" fairly screamed Miss Amelia, and then she sat flat on the floor, 
forgetting there was no chair behind her. 

"Why, yes ! Next Wednesday Munro is going to marry Natalie. Billy is going 
to marry Gwendolyn ; Arthur, Gene ; Champlain, Beatrice ; Regis, Lolita ; Dickey, 
Kitty ; and Caryl is going to marry me. We are going to have an elegant wedding, 
and we did not want any one to know it until we sent out the invitations." 

"But, gracious me alive, children ! You can't get married. You are too young. 

no 



AT BUENA VISTA FARM iii 

Whatever put such an idea into your heads ?" said Miss AmeHa as she fanned herself 
distractedly with her apron. 

"Oh ! Miss Amelia. You are too funny for anything. We don't mean a really, 
truly marriage, but one just for fun, with George Wilder from town dressed up as 
the minister to perform the ceremony." 

"The Lord be thanked for that! I was afraid you were in earnest. Children 
are so advanced in these days, but what made you go to all the bother of making that 
lovely wedding dress if it is only to be a play wedding?" 

"Because, we are going to have it just exactly like a really, truly wedding. We 
are going to have bridesmaids, best men, ushers, wedding presents, supper, and rice to 
throw at the brides," said Frances. 

"And may I ask when and where the wedding is to take place ?" 

"Yes, but if we tell, you must promise to keep it a secret until the invitations are 
out. We expect to have them ready to send out to-morrow. Munro and Caryl are 
printing them." 

"Well, it beats me what you children think and hatch up to play. I feel quite 
weak from the scare you gave me." 

"Here, Miss Amelia, sit in this rocking chair and drink this glass of water. Gene, 
take one of my handkerchiefs and put some cologne on it for Miss Amelia and give her 
that bottle of salts to smell while we tell her all about the wedding." 

In a few minutes she was quite over her fright and was all excitement about the 
plans for the wedding. She also promised to make the wedding cakes and put candy 
doves on some and sugar slippers on the others. 

"We are going to be each other's brides and groomsmen. It is to be done in this 
way : First Munro and Natalie will walk in and be married with the rest of us stand- 
ing in a line behind them. When they are married they will separate, one going to 
the right and one to the left of the minister. Then, William and Gwendolyn will take 
their places before the minister and be married and after that will separate as Munro 
and Natalie did, which will leave Munro and William on one side and Natalie and 
Gwendolyn on the other side of the minister. After that we will all come up in order 
until we have all been married. It will be a pretty sight, for the boys will be on one 
side and the girls on the other side of the minister, facing the guests, and as Munro 
is the tallest he has to go first and WilHam next so that when they stand in line the 
tops of their heads will make a flight of steps. It will be the same way with the girls, 
and — Oh ! I forgot to tell you that Dorothy and Robert, Graveraet and Alice Roselia 
are going to walk ahead of the wedding procession to scatter roses along the way. 



112 



FRANCES AND THE IRREPRESSIBLES 



They are to be dressed as shepherds and shepherdesses and will carry long crooks en- 
twined with ribbons and flowers. Won't they look too cute for anything? 

"We are going to decorate the cabin with white flowers, evergreen boughs, and 
white-rose lamp shades. You see we want everything white for a wedding. After 
the ceremony, refreshments will be served in a tent under the elm tree. They will 
consist of chicken salad, made from the chickens we have raised and celery grown in 
our own garden. Then we are going to serve lettuce sandwiches, salted nuts, cake and 
ice cream. Doesn't that sound wedding-y-fied ?" asked Frances. 
'T should say it did !" 

"The refreshments are all to be prepared by ourselves," said Natalie. "That is 
why we are trying on our gowns so long beforehand to be sure that they are all right 

for we cannot be bothered looking after them at the last 
minute. We are all going to be married the same night 
because it v\'ill save so much bother ; besides, we can then 
all go on a wedding trip together." 

"For heaven's sake ! you don't mean to tell me that 
you really intend taking a wedding trip ?" 

"Why to be sure," continued Natalie. "The next 
morning we are all going to Milwaukee in two automo- 
biles to spend three days and nights at Dorrie Hildreth's' 
and she is coming back with us. She is Beatrice's cousin 
and has asked us to a large houseparty. Her house is 
simply immense as it has more than twenty bedrooms 
with bathrooms adjoining, besides there is a large ball- 
room and a stage for private theatricals. The first night 
we get there she will have a fancy-dress ball and we are 
all going to take our costumes with us. The second day 
she is going to take us out in her father's large steam 
launch called The Water Smallozv, and the third day we 
are going on a picnic in a tally-ho. Isn't that a lovely 
program for our wedding trip? The fourth day we will 
all come back in our autos and will bring Dorrie with us if she can come." 

"Stop telling me about those wonderful preparations and weddings or I shall die 
from surprise. And where do you expect to get your touring cars, may I ask?" said 
Miss Amelia. 




DORRIE HILDRETH IN A 
FARM SUNBONNET. 




MuNRO Dressed for the Wedding 

("3) 



AT BUENA VISTA FARM 115 

"Certainly. Two gentlemen in town have promised to loan them to us for the 
occasion. They are friends of papa and mamma," said Frances. 

"Well! what else have you planned to do? And who is to furnish the music 
for these weddings?" 

"We have arranged all that Estelle is going to play the wedding march from 
Lohengrin. Ohl won't it all be fun? Can't you see us all, in your mind's eye, Miss 
Amelia?" said Gene, dancing round the room. 

"I certainly can and a very pretty picture it will make too." 

"We are going to send invitations to all the papas and mammas and I do hope 
they will all send us some nice things, don't you?" 

"Oh, mercy ! what will they say when they get the invitations ?" exclaimed Miss 
Amelia, throwing up her hands in amazement, 

"Oh, they will take it as a joke and will send us some things, I am sure," said 
Frances and Gene together. 

"Why did not some of you wear pink or blue instead of all dressing in white?" 

"We did think of it when we all intended to be married separately, but when we 
decided to be married at the same time none of us wanted to be married in anything 
but white. Don't you think our cheese-cloth dresses and mosquito-net veils look quite 
nice. Miss Amelia ? Of course we could not afford chiffon and nice stuff," 

"What are the boys going to wear?" 

"They are going to wear their dancing school dress-suits. Won't they look swell, 
though?" asked Gene, 

"Mercy ! children. Look what time it is You should all be in bed. I must go 
now and I promise to keep your secret. See, I cross my heart," said Miss Amelia as 
she closed the door behind her. 

"Natalie, you really look too sweet for anything in your wedding gown," said 
Frances. 

"I wish I looked half as sweet," said Gene. 

"You do," both girls exclaimed. 

"No, I don't." 

"Now, don't go fishing in shallow water," said Beatrice, "for you know well 
enough that you look perfectly charming and as pretty as possible." 

"You all look too lovely for words," said Natalie. 

"To-day is Monday," said Frances, "so to-morrow we must commence to get 
things in order that we may not leave our decorations and salad making until the 
last minute, for we won't be able to do everything on Wednesday. Sister says she will 



ii6 



FRANCES AND THE IRREPRESSIBLES 



get Miss Elizabeth, Miss Amelia, and Deborah to help us so that we need not be all 
tired out when evening comes." 

"How many of the guests at the house do you think will come?" asked Beatrice. 

"All of them," answered Frances, "They would not miss it for anything." 

"Of course not," said Gene. 

"Let us see how many there are," said Gwendolyn. "There are mother, Alice 
Roselia's mother, Madame De Neveu, and — Oh, I guess in all we will have about 
twenty-five." 

"Didn't George look just like a minister with his surplice on? It is made out of 
a sheet with two black bands hanging down the front, and when we were rehearsing 
it was all I could do to keep from laughing, he looked so sober." 

"We must go to bed this minute. It is half-past ten. "Good-night!" "Good- 
night !" "Pleasant dreams and happy slumber," they called to each other as they went 
to their different rooms. 




Cbapter t4. 




THE WEDDING AND THE WEDDING 

JOURNEY. 

^HE hands of the cabin clock pointed to five minutes of eight and there was 
a hush of expectation over the audience as they waited for the bridal 
procession to appear, for the wedding cards said eight o'clock and it 
was almost that now. 

And sure enough, at exactly eight, Estelle commenced to play the 
wedding march on the angelus and the guests heard a slight commotion 
at the door and then four little figures appeared strewing flowers before them, followed 
by Natalie and Munro ; then Gwendolyn and William, Gene and Arthur, and so on until 
last of air came Frances and Caryl. The girls certainly looked like real brides, for 
each one carried a shower bouquet and each wore her veil dropped over her face. 
When the couples reached the improvised altar, there stood the minister awaiting them, 
who commenced reading the marriage service. He could do this and it would not 
marry them because the children were all under age. He raised and lowered his voice 
much as he had heard ministers do and the audience took everything as seriously as 
could be and sat as still as mice while George repeated the service over each couple 
in turn. When they were all married they stood in line to receive the congratulations 
of their friends and went through all their parts as grown up people do. Every one 
kissed the brides and shook hands with the grooms^ telling them they hoped they 
would live happily together, etc., etc. 

When the congratulations were over, the bridal parties led the way to the refresh- 
ment tent and each bride cut a slice out of her wedding cake and each groom out of 
his, and then they sat down and were waited upon by Estelle, Sally, and other 
friends. All were served with salad, sandwiches, nuts,. cake and ice cream, and then 
they went back to the cabin to dance, for while they were being served with refresh- 
ments the chairs had been removed, and the musicians stationed on the altar which 
now served as a platform. The dance continued until ten o'clock and then all went 
back to the farmhouse. 

117 



ii8 



FRANCES AND THE IRREPRESSIBLES 



When the girls were all undressed for the night they went into Frances' room 
and sat on the bed to talk over the wedding and what a nice time they had had. 

"It was just as much fun as private theatricals. Don't you think so?" asked 
Frances, 

"Oh ! heaps more," answered Natalie. 
"I should say so !" exclaimed Gene. 

"I never had so much fun in my life and I felt that it was all real," said Beatrice. 

"Mrs. Smithers, Sally's mother, said 
she thought it was sacrilegious to allow 
George to read out of the prayer book, 
but Miss Amelia answered : 'Not at all, 
no more than playing theatricals'," said 
Lolita. 

"Wasn't it too funny for anything 
that Mrs. Snodgrass thought the string of 
pearls Frances' mother sent her were real 
ones?" said Gene. 

"Yes, and that the pocket-book full of 
counterfeit money was genuine, added 
Natalie. 

"I thought I should die laughing 
when I opened that velvet case and found 
a glass necklace in imitation of diamonds 
and a card with 'From your loving par- 
ents'," said Beatrice. 

"Wasn't it nice in our fathers and 
mothers and all the rest of the folks to 
enter into the play and make believe it 
was real. I do think we have the nicest 
papas and mammas that ever lived, for 
they allow us to do just what we want to do, as long as we don't bother any one else 
or get into mischief," said Frances. 

"Peterkins ! what is that noise? It sounds as if the whole roof had fallen in," ex- 
claimed Beatrice. 

"The sound seemed to come from across the hall in the direction of Munro's room. 
Wait until I see what it is," said Frances, running into the hall. 




MRS. SMITHERS, SALLY'S MOTHER. 



AT BUENA VISTA FARM 119 

"Get off of me," she heard Billy cry. "You are smothering me !" 

"Gee ! I believe I have broken my thumb !" said Caryl. 

"How did it happen?" asked Arthur. 

"Look out ! Here- comes the head-board," exclaimed Regis. 

"What is the matter, boys ?" asked Frances, knocking at the door. 

"Oh ! nothing only that my bed came down when we all got on it." 

"We thought you were all in bed," said Frances. 

"No, we were talking over the party as you girls do," replied Munro. 

"Did any of you get hurt?" 

"No, I guess not." 

"Yes, we did. Regis has a broken nose ; Billy a broken leg ; Art a bruised knee ; 
Munro three fingers smashed ; and Caryl a cracked head. Do you want to come in 
and play trained nurse?" called out Champlain. 

"No, thank you, I guess you are not so severely hurt but that you can take care 
of yourselves." 

"Frances, you girls had better go to bed and get a good sleep so as to be fresh 
for your wedding trip to-morrow. I am going to send the boys off to their rooms 
right away," called out Munro. 

"Ding-a-ling-ling ! ding-a-ling-ling !" rang the rising bell the morning after the 
wedding. 

"Oh, my ! but I am sleepy," said Frances. "I wonder if I dare take just one little 
nap more of fifty winks." And while she was thinking about it she fell asleep and 
instead of taking fifty winks she must have taken four hundred, for it was fully a 
half hour afterward that she was awakened by Lolita knocking on her door and call- 
ing out : "Mercy goodness ! you don't mean to tell me that you are not up yet and 
this the morning of our wedding trip !" 

"Are you up and dressed?" cried Frances in distress. "Has the breakfast bell 
rung yet?" 

"No, but it will soon." 

"You go down and tell them that I will be there in a minute." But her minute 
proved to be many, for everything went wrong and the more she tried to hurry the 
less headway she made until she became thoroughly tired out and cross. The first 
mishap occurred when she went to get washed, for in her haste she hit the snout of the 
water pitcher so hard against the bowl that it broke. Then in buttoning her shoes 
she pulled off three or four buttons. 

"This is enough to make a man swear and I am going to say darn, darn the 



I20 



FRANCES AND THE IRREPRESSIBLES 



darning needle that sewed them on. I will just kick them off and wear my slippers." 
"Frances ! Frances ! hurry up, we are nearly through breakfast," called a voice 
from below. 

"Oh, shut up ! don't you suppose I know it without your rubbing it in," she said 
to herself. "I won't answer them and they can stand and call until they are hoarse 
for all I care. Here they come. I am going to roll under the bed and pretend that 
I have gone down." 

"Bang-i-ty-bang," came a knock on the door. No answer. "Thump-i-ty-thump," it 
sounded again, 

"Frances, what is the matter?" called Gene's voice. Then the door was opened 
and Gene entered expecting to find Frances, but no Frances was in sight. 

"Well, I never! I wonder where she can have gone before breakfast?" and she 
went out, closing the door after her. 

"Well, I hope she is satisfied now. Ouch ! but that hurt," she said as she bumped 
her head backing out from under the bed. "Oh, mercy me ! now I've caught my hair 
in one of the slats of the bed and it is going to pull my pompadour down. I feel mad 
enough to cry ! There comes some one else along the hall. Why don't they let me 
alone ! I am going to jump out on the porch roof, slide down the post of the veranda, 

get a drink, and then I will go through the back door 
in to breakfast and it will make them think that I 
have been in the garden." 

This she did, walking in as unconcernedly, 
smelling a flower, as if she had been in the garden 
and did not know breakfast was ready. 

"Why, Frances ! we thought you were upstairs 
until Gene went up to your room and said that you 
were not there." 

"Lolita said that you were not dressed when 

GET A DRINK. , i '» 

she came down. 

"I was not then but it doesn't take me forever to dress." 

"Well! aren't you going to speak to your husband this morning?" asked Cham- 
plain, trying to tease her. 

"No, I feel too cross to speak to any one this morning." 

"What is the matter? Did you get out of bed on the wrong side?" asked Caryl. 

"You should not feel cross after walking in the garden among the honey bees and 
blossoms," said Art. "Some of the honey should have stuck to you." 




AT BUENA VISTA FARM 121 

"Oh ! bother your honey bees." 

"Say, hurry up down there," called Munro. "Don't stop to lunch as well as to 
breakfast, for we want to get started this morning if we expect to get to Milwaukee in 
time for dinner." 

"Shissy, where are 00 doin' ? I want to do too," said Dorothy. 

"No, darling, you can't go this time because we are going on our wedding trip." 

"Den I must do, 'cause I was at de weddin' and was a flower dirl." 

"Not this time, pet. Only brides can go on wedding tours." 

"Then me'll be a bride right off kick. I'll det Munny to marry me to Wobert and 
then me tan do too.'' 

"Oh ! Dorothy, don't tease. You stay at home like a good girl and shissy will bring 
you a new dolly." 

"Me don't want a new dolly. Me wants to do too," and she began to cry. "Me 
wants to ride in the au-to-mo-bile, me do, me do !" 

"Never mind, dearie," said Estelle. "Let them go and we will take you to Fond 
du Lac where we will get more ice-cream and candy." 

"Me don't want more ice-cream and tandy. Me .wants to ride and do wiv the brides 
and husbands to Milwaukee, me do, me do !" 

"Look here, little sister ! If you will stop crying I will take you for an automobile 
ride when we get back and I will leave all the rest of them at home," said Munro. 

"But me wants to do wiv the rest of um !" wailed Dorothy. 

"Well, then you can meet us to-morrow and ride the rest of the way home with 
us if that will suit you any better." 

"All wight, me'll do dat." 

"And now give brother a kiss for he must go. Come wave us good-bye and here 
is a handful of rice to throw at the brides. Now keep your hands shut tight. That 
is our secret." 

At the bare idea of a secret Dorothy would do anything, and she soon appeared at 
the door ready to kiss them all good-bye. 

When JMunro got to the door he found all the children in the autos with their auto 
coats and caps on, while the rest of the folks were standing round ready to throw rice 
and old shoes after them. Munro was in the auto he was to run, in a second, and put- 
ting on fast speed they missed nearly all the rice and old shoes that were thrown at 
them by Alice Roselia and the other little tots, but one slipper thrown by a grown per- 
son stuck on the auto top and they never knew it was there until they arrived at their 
destination in Milwaukee. 



122 



FRANCES AND THE IRREPRESSIBLES 



For many miles the automobiles flew over the ground like big bumblebees without 
a mishap, then in taking one of the long steep hills, Munro did not put on speed enough 
and when half way up the car commenced to run back and before he could do any- 
thing it had backed them into a barbed-wire fence. Presently, he got it started again 
and they had nearly reached the top of the hill when they met a farmer on a load of 
hay. The auto scared his mules so that they ran away, going straight down the hill. 
Of course, when they got started they could not stop for the momentum of the wagon 
behind them was too great and it pressed on their heels and literally shoved them along, 
while at every bump a lot of hay was los|;. At last the foot of the hill was reached but 
the farmer's troubles instead of being over were but just begun, for here was a narrow 
bridge without a railing to it and the mules in their mad rush did not take it straight. 
One front wheel of the wagon missed the planks and spun in midair for a moment and 
then the whole wagon, toppled over into the stream, pulling the mules along with it. 
One landed on his back on the load of hay while the other fell under. The poor fright- 
ened farmer was lost sight of for some time and the children were afraid he was caught 

under the wagon or stunned. They had 
stopped at the top of the hill to watch the 
result. They started to go to the farmer's 
assistance, but saw him soon crawling out 
from under the load, all wet and dirty. When 
he saw them he shook his fists at them, so 
they were assured that he was more angry 
than hurt, and they proceeded on their jour- 
ney. There were no more serious mishaps but 
they ran over a poor chicken, which, chicken- 
like, had run straight across their path though 
she could have stayed on the other side of the 
road in safety, but this would have been con- 
trary to the nature of a chicken, so Art said, 
and Frances exclaimed: "Stupids! why do they persist in running right in front of 
things ?" 

They arrived in fine style at Dorrie's and made the double sweep of the winding 
drive at high pressure, bringing their autos to a standstill right in front of the impos- 
ing entrance to the Hildreths' mansion. 

After a visit of three days, in which they said they had had, the time of their lives, 
they returned to the farm, but without Dorrie, for she could not leave her other guests. 




DORRIE'S home;. 



AT BUENA VISTA FARM 



123 



although she promised to come to them later in the summer and to bring the pattern of 
the lovely sunbonnet she wore the night of the fancy-dress ball, where she was dressed 
as a dairy maid. All the girls had fallen in love with the shape and wanted to have 
one just like it to wear on the farm. 




Chapter 15. 



DOROTHY NEARLY GETS DROWNED. 




LICE ROW-E-LA, oo det oor dolly Tell-a-bell and I will det Rosy and 
Pinky and den we will take Wobert and him tan-ten flannel puppy and 
Graveraet and him wolly horse and det in one of de boats and play we 
was doin' a long way off to Europe," said Dorothy one afternoon when 
the four little tots were playing under the trees. 
"Won't that be fun!" said Alice Roselia. 
"Wait till I get my doggie," said Robert. "Where is he, I wonder. I don't see 
him. He must have trotted off in the long grass." 

Just then Alice Roselia stumbled and fell over something which turned out to be 
the lost dog. Then without telling any one where 
they were going, the children took advantage of 
Deborah's momentary absence and ran off down the 
path that led through the woods to the lake. 

"Amn't dis a bcoful woods?" said Dorothy, 
who was very fond of nature. 

"You must not say 'amn't', you must say 'is 
not'," said Alice Roselia, who was unusually smart 
and observing for her age and, though younger 
than Dorothy, spoke more plainly, never having 
used baby talk. Dorothy was as clever and smart 
as she, but seemed younger because she talked 

like a baby. She had a long head and was great at reasoning out things and wanting 
to know the whys and wherefores. Both children had unusually good memories. 
"Why don't you say 'is not'?" again asked Alice Roselia. 

Dorothy, who had pretended not to hear at first, answered: "Just 'cause it's too 
long and I like 'amn't' bestest of all, only everybody makes such a fuss when I say it; 
dey make me tired !" 

124. 




PLAYING UNDER THE) TREES. 



AT BUENA VISTA FARM 



125 



"Oh! look, look! See how the v/aves make the boats jump up and down. Won't it 
be fun going to Europe in them?" said Alice Roselia. 

"Let's run," said Robert, "so we can get there quick. I am going to be captain 
and stand up in front by a wheel like the man does in my papa's boats." 

"You tan't, 'cause dere isn't any wheel in dis boat," said Dorothy. 

"Then I'll play there is." 

"I'm going to be engineer," said Graveraet. "That is more fun than being 
captain." 

"All right ! Take hold of my hand, Robert. You go so fast I am afraid I will 
fall on these old steps," said Alice Roselia. 

The words were no sooner out of her mouth than there was a crash and an old 
rotten board broke in two and let one of her little fat legs through, throwing her on 
her face. This stopped Robert, 
who had hold of her hand, so 
quickly that it jerked him back 
and set him down hard. Dorothy 
who had run ahead, heard a howl 
behind her and, turning to see 
what had happened, saw Gra- 
veraet and Robert trying to pull 
Alice Roselia out of the hole. 
When she saw this she hastened 
back and began to help them. 
Their combined efforts brought 
Alice out in a hurry ; yes, in too 
much of a one, for she came out so 
quickly that they lost their balance 
on the edge of the steps where they were standing and all four rolled to the 
bottom of the stairs, clinging to each other for protection, which made a ball of 
little fat bodies with arms and legs sticking out. When they at last stopped 
rolling and bounding they let go of each other's hands and opened their eyes to see 
where, they were, for in their fright they had instinctively closed their eyes. They 
found themselves at the bottom, not hurt in the least, as the remaining steps were cut 
out of the sod and were soft. 




THE STEPS TO THE LAKE. 



126 FRANCES AND THE IRREPRESSIBLES 

"Why, I amn't hurt a tincy, 'ittle bit," said Dorothy, standing up and shaking 
herself. "Is oo, Alice Roselia?" 

"Just my leg ; I hurt it on the board," said she, proceeding to turn down her stock- 
ing to see how badly she was hurt. She found the skin scraped off, which made it look 
worse than it really was and she thought it looked bad enough to cry over. 

"Don't kye, Alice Roselia. I'll tiss it for oo and make it well, so will Wobert 
and Graveraet. Dare now, oo is all wight. Come kick, afore de boat does and leaves 
us." 

At the awful thought of the boat going away and leaving her, she jumped up 
and ran on with the others to the pier, where the boat lay bobbing up and down at 
her moorings. 

The pier was high and the water was low, so the four little runaways more nearly 
fell than stepped in. At last they were all in, with Dorothy sitting in the back wig- 
gling the rudder ropes first one way and then another, while Robert was standing up 
in front playing captain, ringing an old cow bell he had found under the seat. Alice 
Roselia was leaning over the side dipping Tell-a-bell up and down in the water, giv- 
ing her a bath. She had taken all the doll's clothes off and was having a fine time. 
When Dorothy saw what fun it was she commenced to undress Pinky, preparatory to 
bathing her, when, chancing to look up, she saw that they had drifted out on the lake 
away from the pier. 

"Oh! what ever shall we do? See where we are. What made oo bring us out 
here?" cried Dorothy. 

"I didn't bring you out here. The water did. The rope broke and I thought you 
wanted to go away off to Europe so I just watched the boat go." 

"Never mind. I like it out here and I tan bathe Pinky and rock better out here 
dan where de usser boats are." 

While the children were playing in the boat out in the middle of the lake, where 
the water was from sixty to eighty feet deep, all unmindful of their danger, the people 
at the house were flying around in all directions, like hens with their heads off, looking 
for the runaways. 

Deborah had missed them first when she came out with several slices of bread and 
jelly for them to play tea-party, but instead of giving them a pleasant surprise they 
had given her a disagreeable one. After looking and calling for them at the house 
and all the cottages, she called upon the larger children for assistance. Some of them 
went to the cabin, some to the pigeon-house, some to the barn, and some to the spring. 
Others went to the gravel pit up in the woods beside the hill, thinking they might 




" Tell-a-Bell," "Rosy" and "Pinky" 
(127) 



t 



AT BUENA VISTA FARM 129 

have gone there to make mud pies as they often did with Deborah. Others still went 
down the road toward the cow pasture, thinking they might have gone to help bring 
home the cows. No one thought of going to the lake for they had never been there 
without the older children. Such an idea never entered their heads for they thought 
the little tots were afraid to go through the woods alone. 

The hunt was kept up until every man, woman, and child on the place was search- 
ing and there was not a hole as deep as a man's silk hat, to say nothing of the cisterns, 
that had not been looked into by every one. At last Deborah exploded a bomb among 
them, which made them all sick at heart, saying that she knew now what had become 
of them. They had been stolen by the gypsies for she saw their wagons go by only 
the day before and they were encamped on the Eden road in the woods only a mile and 
a half away. When Munro heard this he stopped for nothing but literally flew toward 
the stables for his pony, followed by Champlain. If the gypsies had them they would 
not have them long, the two boys . thought. Deborah could already see those beautiful 
white skinned children stained brown with walnut juice, and their hair cut short to 
hide their identity. Arthur and Regis had gone to Fond du Lac and they might meet 
them as they drove out. 

A few minutes before, William and Caryl had gone to the lake despite every one's 
telling them that they were only losing time by doing so. Presently on the still air 
William's and Caryl's sharp, penetratmg whistles were heard coming from the direc- 
tion of the lake, followed by their cries : "We have found them ! We have found 
them !" 

Robert's mother nearly fainted from joy when she heard they were found, for 
the news came so soon after she had imagmed they might have been stolen by the 
gypsies. The next minute, however, her heart sank for fear they might be drowned, 
although they were found. She started for the lake but could scarcely make one foot 
move before the other she was trembling so. As for Deborah, short and stout as she 
was, she ran like a deer, tearing the bushes aside as she went in her endeavor to get 
to them the quickest way. 

When the mothers and nurses arrived at the pier, they saw two boys in their shirt 
sleeves, rowing for dear life toward a boat way out in the middle of the lake with four 
little heads sticking up out of it. That was all that could be seen from the shore. 
Presently, they saw a figure rise and stand up in the boat. 

"Oh! Oh! Oh! Sit down, sit down!" wailed Robert's mother, "You will upset 
the boat !" 

Then another little figure stood up and waved a pink rag at them. At least that 



T30 FRANCES AND THE IRREPRESSIBLES 

is what it looked like but in all probability it was Rosy or Pinky. As the people on 
the shore watched, they saw the boat rock and one little figure totter and — yes, lose 
its balance and fall overboard ! Which of the children it was they could not tell, they 
were so far away. Mrs. Libby fainted at this and Deborah ran right into the water 
as if she intended walking to them even though she could not swim. 

Just as the little figure disappeared under the water, the boys in the other boat 
bent to their oars and made the skiff fairly skim the waters. In a moment they ar- 
rived at the place where the little one had gone under, and both boys threw down the 
oars and plunged in after her. The anxious watchers on the shore saw a white speck 
appear on the top of the waves for a moment and then disappear again. In the mean- 
time one of the boys, taking great strokes, slipped through the water like a seal, dis- 
appeared for a moment and then came to the surface with a bundle of white in his arms, 
which the other helped him put into the boat the other children were in, after which 
they carefully climbed in themselves, for this was not an easy thing to do without 
tipping the boat. 

While all this was going on, Estelle had taken out another boat and was fast row- 
ing toward them. When she came within a few rods of them she could see that the 
boys were rolling Dorothy on the seat to get the water out of her while the other 
children with white faces were looking on too frightened to move or speak. 

"Estelle, you will have to row back to get us some oars for the children have 
lost them out of this boat, or you can get them out of ours over there and we can tow 
it home," said William. 

"Do you want to take Alice, Robert, and Graveraet with you?" asked Caryl. 

"No," repHed Estelle. "I am afraid they might fall in getting them from one boat 
into -the other. You will sit still and hold on to the seats until I get back, children, 
won't you ?" asked Estelle. 

The little ones nodded assent but were too scared to speak. 

Estelle soon caught up with the boat the boys had left, which was drifting across 
the lake, and secured the oars. In a few minutes she rowed back to the boys and they 
handed her Dorothy, who was just reviving, so she could hold her on her lap. Then 
they tied her boat to theirs and towed it in, leaving the boys' boat to drift about 
until they could come out for it. With long, strong strokes the boys bent to their 
oars and soon were back at the pier with their precious load. 

Robert was nearly eaten up by his mother, whom Frances and Gwendolyn had 
brought out of her fainting spell, while Graveraet's mother said she knew he was not 
born to be drowned although he had come very near to it many times. Alice Roselia 



AT BUENA VISTA FARM 131 

had her head nearly hugged off by her nurse and the rest of the people, while Deborah 
carried on so that Estelle had to give her her precious lamb to carry home. 

Soon it was discovered that through it all Dorothy had held on to her precious 
Pinky and the first thing she asked for was Rosy, and what was more she would not 
go home until Caryl ran back to the pier and fished Rosy out from under the seat of 
the boat. 

They had all been at home for some time and now had their dry clothes on when, 
looking out, they saw two forlorn boys on horseback coming down the road. 

"What are you all sitting around here so quietly for ? We can't find them ! We 
had a terrible fight with the gypsies for they said we had insulted them by calling them 
kidnappers. See, my coat is all split up the back," and Munro turned around to show 
it. "As for Champlain, his clothes are nearly torn off, too. But don't sit there doing 
nothing! We must find those children before night and it is growing dark fast!" 

"Oh ! Munny, Munny ! Tome here till I tell 00 how I felled into de lake," called 
Dorothy from an upper window. 

By the way Munro disappeared into the house, he must have had twenty league 
boots on and the next thing that the children standing outside heard was : "Oh, Munny, 
don't skeeze me so hard, 00 will break my wibs," which showed how glad Munro 
was to find his little sister well and safe at home. 

"Champlain, I'll sew 00 close for 00 where de nasty gypsies tore um," they heard 
Dorothy say. "Alice Roselia, Wobert, and Graveraet didn't fall in, I had to, 'cause 
Pinky dropped and I just catched her as she fell over de boat and den de naughty boat 
jopped me in when I stood up to catch her. Oh ! Alice Roselia, Robert, and Graveraet ! 
come and tell Munny and Champlain how deep de water was and how we saw a turtle 
and some 'ittle fisses." 

"Now, dear, I want you and Alice Roselia and Robert and Graveraet to promise 
that you will never again go near the lake alone." 

"No, no, no ! we won't. 'Deed we won't !" chimed four little voices. And Munro 
knew they would always keep their promise. 



^%^^^^:^ 



Chapter 16. 



DOROTHY'S CYCLONE. 



M 



^^m 



kY ! HOW the wind blows !" said Miss Amelia, as she arose from her chair 
and walked to the window to look out. "I do believe we are going to 
have a cyclone. Just see how the dust is blowing in the road and how 
the wind whips and twists the tree boughs. Yes, and there- goes a barrel 
rolling down hill. Mercy ! I must go and help get the little chickens in 
or the rain will drown them when it once commences to come down." 
All this was said to Sally who had been sitting beside her, sewing, while Dorothy 
was playing on the floor by the big sofa. 

"I will go with you and help," said Sally. 

As she turned to leave the room. Miss Amelia exclaimed: "For the love of 
goodness! What have you been sitting in? Your dress in the back is a sight." Be- 
fore she could answer, Dorothy piped up : 

"Her has been sittin' in my mud pie. Her said her chair was hard and her was 
doin' to det a pillow for it and when her put the pillow in it, I slipped the pie on top 
'cause I knowed it was soft and Sally would like it and say I was a nice, 'bligin' dirl. 
But her set wight down on it and never said I was a nice dirl or 'thank oo', and so I'll 
never div her one of my bestest pies aden, so dere !" 

Miss Amelia and Sally were so surprised at what Dorothy was sa3dng and the 
way she looked at her naughty act, that they could say nothing at first. Miss Amelia 
found her tongue at last : "Where in the world did you get your pie?" 

"Tome here and 111 tell oo," and she led Miss Amelia to the couch and told her to 
look under, and there in the sitting-room under the couch she found a whole row of 
soft mud pies in new tin pie-plates. 

"See, Miss Amelia! De one wiv leaves in I play is a dried peach pie and de one 
wiv stones in is a cherry pie," but Miss Amelia did not want to hear about the kinds of 
pie, for it dawned upon her just then that this was v/hat had become of her new pie 
tins, for whose disappearance no one had been able to account. 

132 



AT BUENA VISTA FARM 



133 



"Miss Amelia, I had to put um dere to hide nm from the boys, 'cause dey looked 
so good I was 'fraid dey would eat um up." 

''Deborah, just see how Dorothy has ruined my dress," said Sally, turning round to 
show it to the nurse as she entered the room. 

"I am very sorry, Miss Sally, but I can fix your dress so you won't know it ever 
had a spot on it. It is a wash dress and I will wash out the mud and iron it so you can 
have it in an hour if you will kindly take it off." Then turning to Dorothy, she said : 
"Oh, pettie ! How ever could you do it !" 

"I was only makin' her a soft seat. I didn't know it would spoil her dress, Debba, 
'deed I didn't." 

"Deborah, it is going to storm, dreadfully. Won't you please leave Dorothy here 
and come help us get the little chickens in before it 
rains ? It would be too bad to have them all drown. 
There are three hundred in the runs just out of the 
incubator this morning and they won't know enough 
to get in out of the rain," said Miss Amelia. 

"I want to do too !" cried Dorothy, jumping up 
and down in her excitement at the prospect of 
catching the little fluffy chickens that she dearly 
loved. 

"Oh ! no, dearie, it is too windy and it is going 
to rain. You might get blown awa}^," said Deborah. 
"No, I wouldn't. Ise too fat to blow away." 
"Well, come upstairs and see what I have for you and then when you see how nice 
it is you won't want to go." 

Deborah, who was worth her weight in gold for devising means to amuse nervous, 
restless children, had surmised that Dorothy would get into some kind of mischief if 
left long to herself in the house, and had taken out her little dishes and set a tea-table 
for her, with milk for tea and then she had made cute little sandwiches, each one just 
large enough for a mouthful, and beside this there was a plate of cherries ; and all 
together it looked most inviting, especially as Rosy and Pinky were already seated 
at the table when Dorothy opened the door. 

"There, isn't that a nice surprise? And now will you promise to stay here and be 
good while Deborah goes out to help Miss Amelia?" 
"Yes, I'll stay if 00 will div me a tiss afore 00 do." 
"You dear, precious child !" said Deborah, hugging her up close to her as she 




DOROTHY MAKING MUD PIES. 



134 



FRANCES AND THE IRREPRESSIBLES 




I^ITTlwE FLUFFY CHICKENS THAT 

she; dearly loved. 



kissed her good-bye. "What in the world would I do without my little darling?" 
*'Oo would die too and tome to heaven to see if I died and went to play wiv de 
angels, wouldn't oo, Debba?" 

As Deborah went out, she quietly turned the key in the lock and slipped it into her 
pocket, lest Dorothy should get tired playing tea-party and run out into the rain, but 

she had to do it very quietly for fear she might 
hear her and that would put an end to her 
playing. 

Dorothy sat very contentedly for a long time 
while talking to Rosy and Pinky, telling them 
they must not take such big mouthfuls or eat with 
their fingers, things she had heard her mother and 
Deborah say to her a thousand times, but after a 
while the quiet got monotonous and she thought 
it must be almost time for Robert to be up from 
his nap. This nap was the bane of Dorothy's 
existence for it took him away from her a good 
hour and a half each day, and she had been 
charged, on the penalty of not being allowed to play with him all day, not to awaken 
him or to come to his door unless it was open. 

As she sat there she thought it was a shame for Robert, Alice Roselia, and Grave- 
raet to miss all the good things at the tea-party so she decided to tip-toe along the 
hall and listen at the door to see if he were awake. With Dorothy to plan was to do, so 
she walked to the door, turned the knob, and found that it would not open. Whatever 
could be the matter? This door had always opened easily before. She tried again, 
this time turning and twisting the knob both ways but with the same result. Horror of 
horrors ! At last the thought struck her that she was locked in. That settled it. She 
kicked and she screamed with anger but no one heard as they were all out helping to get 
in the chickens, beside by this time the wind was howling and blowing so that no voice 
could have been heard unless at a very short distance. After crying her mad spell off 
she got up, walked to the window, and stood watching the wind blow leaves and bits of 
paper in eddies, and sway the boughs of the trees. Presently this gave her an idea. 
She would play cyclone in the room ; it would be great fun. So she snorted and whistled 
in imitation of the wind while she pulled the pillows off the bed, the scarf off the 
bureau, bringing down hair brushes, combs, pin cushions, powder, and handkerchief 
boxes, etc., which rolled all over the room in every direction. Then she went to the 



AT BUENA VISTA FARM 135 

washstand and taking the pitcher of water, poured little puddles all over the floor, pre- 
tending it was rain. Then she rummaged around in the closet and found an old umbrella. 
This she opened and sat under, on two pillows of the bed, with Rosy and Pinky in her 
arms, pretending she was on a hill watching the flood rise. 

A great many mothers would have thought Dorothy naughty and would have 
spanked or punished her in some way, but this would have been unwise, for a child does 
not do these things to be wilful or to annoy. It's only motive is to amuse itself and 
carry out whatever ideas come into its head. The fun of upsetting the room was all 
that Dorothy thought of at this time. She never for a moment reasoned about any- 
thing or stopped long enough to think of consequences. She was playful as a little 
kitten and just as unthoughtful and guileless. Other children are like her, and it is 
positively wicked to punish them for mischief that is not done in a mean spirit. Talk 
to a child and explain wherein it is naughty, because it has not thought of the trouble 
and work its mischief may cause, but never punish and then explain afterward. These 
were Mrs. Winton's ideas of governing children and one of her rules was that none of 
her children should ever be whipped. Sensitive children are ruined by whipping just 
as a nervous, restive horse is made vicious and unmanageable by the use of the lash. 

When Deborah came back she found Dorothy still sitting on her hill waiting for the 
flood to carry her off. She gently reproved her and told her how very naughty it was 
to muss everything so, and that she must not do it again because it took poor Deborah 
so long to set it to rights and that it made her so tired ; and almost before she was 
through with her gentle lecture, Dorothy was all repentance and with eyes full of tears, 
protested again and again that she didn't mean to be naughty and that she was sorry 
she had made Debba feel bad and tired, ending by throwing both arms round her neck 
and kissing her again and again. 

When some of the ladies in the house heard of the mischief, they said : "If she 
were my child I should give her a good whipping." One lady, however, had the cour- 
age to say : "Yes, and in so doing you would have given vent to your own anger and 
taken it out on the child, because you were annoyed at the muss you had to clean up, 
and you would have told your conscience that you were doing it for the child's good." 
This occasioned quite a discussion which ended in each one being unconvinced that any 
but her own way was the right way, and the supper bell rang just in time to end an argu- 
ment that was beginning to get unpleasantly heated, and each lady took her own child 
in to tea with an air which said : "If you wish to see a well brought up child, just look 
at mine." 

When supper was half over, the boys came in drenched to the skin. They had 



136 FRANCES AND THE IRREPRESSIBLES 

been out in the rain closing the shutters to their pigeon and chicken houses and seeing 
to things generally. 

"What do you think, Miss Amelia," said Munro, "the wind dashed a poor, tired, 
hungry carrier pigeon against the limb of our elm tree by the cabin and we picked it 
up almost dead. It had a note tied to it and a metal band fastened around one of its 
legs. If it is not able to fly to-morrow morning we are going to take the note off and 
mail it. The address is written on the note and we will write to the same address and 
tell what has happened. 

"What did you do to revive it?" asked Miss Amelia. 

"We took a little hot water and put a few drops of brandy in it, adding a little 
sugar, and then we opened its bill and fed it through a medicine dropper. Then we 
put it in a basket on some soft wool and covered it, all but its head, setting it back of 
the stove to see if that would not dry its feathers. After supper we will go and see 
how it is getting along." 

"I want to do too," announced Dorothy. "I want to see the sick birdie." 

"Not to-night, little sister. It is raining too hard, but you can see it in the 
morning." 

"Me tan't see it den for it will have flied away by dat time." 

"No, we won't let it out of the house until you have seen it." 

"What do you think?" said William. "The wind has blown down all the vines 
that were on strings around the cabin windows, and most of the seats out of the trees. 
You never saw such a strong wind. It nearly blew us from the top of the hill on our 
way home." 

After supper the boys lighted their lanterns, preparatory to going back to the cabin 
to see how the pigeon was getting along, but the minute they opened the door the wind 
blew them out and made them smoke dreadfully, beside the rain came down in a perfect 
torrent. When Miss Amelia and Miss Elizabeth saw this they persuaded the boys not 
to go out in such a blinding storm. 

"This is a good night to remain comfortably indoors and play games," said Miss 
Elizabeth. "We will play 'Spin The Platter', 'Blind Man's Buff', 'Throw The 
Towel', and others." 

In a short time all the children were seated in the centre of the large living-room, 
playing 'Throw The Towel'. It was played in this way : Those wishing to play seat 
themselves in a circle, leaving one in the centre to catch the towel as it is thrown from 
one person to another. The one whose lap it is caught on or who can't get rid of it 
before the person in the centre touches him, must now stand in the centre and take 



AT BUENA VISTA FARM 137 

his turn at catching in the same way. This description of how it is to be played does 
not sound as if it would be much fun, but it is more than funny to see how the towel 
when thrown in a hurry will wrap itself around a person's head or face, and in one's 
frantic endeavor to get it off will pull the hair down, or it will stick to one's dress and 
when you try to throw it off, you will grab dress and all. 

You never heard the equal of the screaming, laughing, and shouting that went on 
while the game was in progress ; and when they were tired of playing this, they 
moved all the chairs and tables back close to the wall so as to make a nice, clear place 
in which to play 'Blind Man's Buff'. No one was allowed to play roughly or to trip 
another and so they had real fun in trying to find out whom they had caught. This 
was not always easy for they would change coats, aprons, hair-ribbons and different 
articles of their clothing as soon as the person who was catcher was blindfolded. 

They played until nine o'clock and then made a raid on the pantry, well knowing 
that there was always something there for them to eat between meals when they were 
hungry. To-night they found doughnuts, soft ginger cake, and oat-meal crackers, with 
a big pitcher of milk that was half cream. They took the goodies into the kitchen, which 
was big and roomy and had five or six large windows in it. Here they perched them- 
selves on the table, chairs, or flour-bin: anywhere, just so they did not have to sit in a 
chair in the proper manner. That would never have done, for the children thought it 
much more fun to wriggle and squirm and twist their legs around chairs and to roost on 
the edges of things' in general. ]\Iiss Amelia knew this, so left them alone to do as they 
pleased. This was one of the reasons why they loved the farm. It gave them such 
perfect freedom. 




Cbaptet n. 

THE CHILDREN GET SUPPER. 

^ ™ ™^H. GIRLS ! girls ! girls ! Come here. I have sometliing great to tell you," 
I / ^ I called Frances as she came running out of the house, taking the three 
Y ^^^ J front steps at one bound. 

^^jTR^ "What is it? Do tell us !" a chorus of voices replied. 

^^^^^ ''Miss Amelia, Miss Elizabeth, and Madame have all been invited to 

Fond du Lac to tea and I heard Miss Amelia just declining the invitation 
over the telephone because she had let all the servants go to the circus. I interrupted 
her just then to tell her to go, that we girls could get supper by ourselves. 'Oh, no !' 
she said, 'I could not think of allowing you to go to so much trouble,' but I told her 
it would be no trouble, but that it would be a very great pleasure, and after much 
coaxing she at last consented to go. Now won't we have loads of fun cooking sup- 
per for the boys and ourselves ? We will make them set the table, pare potatoes, grind 
cofifee, and do whatever else they can," continued Frances. 

"You had better not let them set the table," said Gene. "They will break all the 
dishes if you do." 

"Oh, no they won't," said Natalie. "Boys can do lots of things around a house and 
you will never know how many until you try them." 

"I know one thing they can do," said Gwendolyn, "and that is fry potatoes and 
season them better than any cook we ever had, and if you will believe it, Champlain can 
cook lamb chops without burning them and they taste just too delicious for anything." 

"Then we will make him cook then to-night and if we don't have chops for supper 
we will make him cook whatever meat we may have. Did you ever eat any of Art's 
cranberry sauce ? Well, if you have not you have something yet to live for. He makes 
it just right, neither too sweet nor too sour." 

"I wish they would all hurry and get off for I can hardly wait to begin," said the 
impatient Gene. 

138 



AT BUENA VISTA FARM 139 

"Come and let us see if we cannot do something to help them get started," said 
Frances. 

"You go and help while I go to tell the boys," said Gene. 

"Very well," said Frances, and she hurried away while Gene and Kitty went to find 
the boys. 

Miss Amelia said that she had never before had such a willing, spry maid to help 
her dress. She found her gloves, put her perfumery on her handkerchief, pinned her 
collar in the back, tied on her veil, as well as helping Madame de Neveu button her 
shoes, fold her shawl, and ended by tying her bonnet under her chin, kissing her as 
she did so. 

When they went out to get into the carriage, they found the boys all there : one 
standing at the horses' heads, two waiting to assist them in, and see that they were 
tucked in properly, while the rest stood around and tried to hide their joy that every 
one was going off and they were to have the place all to themselves from five-thirty 
until ten o'clock. It would be nearly that time before the family returned, for it took 
some time to come out from Fond du Lac after dark, especially as there were hollows 
to drive through, and bridges without railings to cross so that one had to be careful in 
order not to drive into the water. 

As the carriage disappeared from sight and the last sound of its wheels died away, 
the children, with one accord, gave a wild war-whoop, threw up their caps, and pranced 
round on the grass like wild Indians or people suddenly gone crazy. 

"Now for our aprons and then for the kitchen," cried Frances. 

At first, all was confusion, with so many cooks in the kitchen at one time, then 
Estelle, who was a good manager, said : "Now let us systematize things. It will 
make matters easier and then we won't spoil everything we try to cook, for you know 
the old saying, 'Too many cooks spoil the broth.' This is the way we will arrange 
things : Each one must prepare whatever he knows best how to cook, or if he does not 
know how to cook anything he can be just as much help setting the table, skimming the 
milk, or waiting on those who are cooking." 

"That is fair," they all said. 

So Estelle appointed Champlain and Beatrice to cook the lamb chops, for when 
the boys gave a luncheon to the girls in their shanty in the city, Champlain had cooked 
and served chops to a turn ; William and Gwendolyn were to fry the sweet potatoes ; 
and Art and G^ne were to make the cranberry sauce, for no professional cook could 
make any better. Munro and Natalie were to make the coffee cake with nuts rolled in 
sugar on top, as this was Munro's stunt when he cooked in their shanty. Frances and 



140 FRANCES AND THE IRREPRESSIBLES 

Caryl were put to work setting the table, as all could not be spared to cook. Regis and 
Lolita were to go to the spring house and skim the milk for the coffee. 

'T'll make some cottage cheese for you and some hot biscuits," Estelle concluded. 

"You are a dandy, Estelle ! That plan sounds fine. I propose that we appoint 
you General-in-Chief of this our Army of the Irrepressibles," said Munro. 

Just at this point Dorothy with Robert and Deborah walked into the kitchen, leav- 
ing the other nurses and children outside. 

"What is the matter? Is Miss Amelia ill that you are cooking supper. Miss 
Estelle?" asked Deborah in an astonished voice. 

"There is nothing the matter. "We are just doing it for fun as the family have 
gone to tOAvn for tea." 

"You all run out and play. I will get supper for you in no time," said Deborah, 
who could not conceive of anyone cooking for the pleasure of it. 

"Indeed we won't! and if you will keep Dorothy and the other children out of the 
kitchen we will give you the best supper you ever ate, in about hal-f an hour," said 
Frances. 

"Ise don't want to do out to play. I want to help det supper," said Dorothy, run- 
ning up to William and throwing both arms round his leg so that Deborah could not 
take her away. 

"Oh, look out, Dorothy ! Let go or you will topple me over and get hurt." 

"Willum, save me ! save me !" cried Dorothy, as Deborah tried to loosen her arms 
from around William's leg so that she could carry her off. 

" 'Deed, Debba, I'll be gooder as tan be if oo will let me stay !" 

"Take care ! take care !'' exclaimed William, as Dorothy's head joggled his arm 
and made him spill a spoonful of hot fried potatoes all over both. 

"Ise didn't mean to, Willum," and Dorothy's eyes filled with tears and her lip trem- 
bled at the impatient way in which he had spoken to her. 

"Never mind, little woman. It's all right. Don't cry. I didn't mean to speak so 
crossly but I was afraid you were burnt." 

"Den tiss me and let's make up. Big shissy, tan't me stay?" coaxed the little one 
as Estelle came into the kitchen from the dining-room, 

"Yes, if you will be a good girl and sit on the top of the flour-bin over by the 
window and not get off once. But wouldn't you and Robert rather go and gather us 
a nice bunch of flowers for the table ?" 

"Oh, yes ; dat will be fun and we will det Alice Roselia and Graveraet and then us 
will all be helpin' det supper, won't we?" asked Dorothy as they left the kitchen. 



AT BUENA VISTA FARM 



141 



Estelle took a pan of delicious looking tea cakes out of the oven and handed them 
to Dorothy, and the children had scarcely left the kitchen and were just dividing their 
cakes, when a loud crashing of glass and a thud as if a heavy weight had fallen was 
heard from the dining-room, and everyone in the kitchen ran to see what had happened. 
When they opened the door between the two rooms they saw Arthur sitting on the 
floor with a bottomless water-pitcher on one side of him and a smashed tumbler on the 
other, while a turned-over chair lay behind him. His position and the look of dismay 
on his face made them all laugh. 

"How did it happen. Art?" asked Munro. 

'T spilt a little water when I was filling the glasses and did not stop to wipe it up 
and when I came 
back I forgot all 
about it, slipped up, 
grabbed the chair to 
save myself and 
down I came bring- 
ing the chair and 
tumbler with me. 
Gee ! but I believe 
I drove my spinal 
column clear through 
the top of my head, 
I came down so 
hard." 

"Well, next time 
I advise you to wipe 
up the water as soon 

as you spill it," said Estelle. "Yes, I will if there is ever a next time, for 
I'll peel potatoes instead. There is too much walking in this job to suit me. I prefer 
to sit still and work with my hands to traveling seventeen miles round this long table 
fixing flowers and filling glasses ; or I'll poke over my cranberry sauce. I made it too 
quickly and so got set to work helping with the table." 

'T wonder why Regis and Lolita don't come with the cream and milk. Supper is 
all ready to serve now. Some one blow the horn to hurry them up," said Estelle. 

"Here they come but what is the matter v.ith Regis ? He is wringing wet and they 
are both laughing so that thev can scarcelv walk." 




WHERE REGIS FELL IN THE MILK. 



142 FRANCES AND THE IRREPRESSIBLES 

"Hurry up, you laggards! What has kept you so long, Lolita?" 

"Oh, Oh !" cried Lolita. "I shall simply die laughing, my sides ache so ! You 
see we had skimmed one pan of milk and I reached for another, when a long, black 
snake had to wriggle itself out of the pan I was going to skim. I jumped back, 
hit Regis who was stooping over skimming another pan and knocked him into the 
water among the pans and he upset three. Did you ever hear of such luck? What 
will Miss Amelia say when she finds that we have wasted the milk ? But I thought I 
should die for a minute. Regis looked so funny floundering around on his back 
among the pans trying to get his feet down. What shall we say to Miss Amelia?" 

"I will simply tell her that you people got so thirsty that I had to make up milk- 
shakes by the wholesale and consequently it took a lot of milk," said Regis. 

At this all had to laugh and Estelle said : "Regis, I believe you would make fun 
if you were dying." 

"Well, I came near getting drowned this time and that hard-hearted girl there 
stood and laughed at me." 

"Hurry and change your clothes for supper is ready," said Estelle. 

"Yes, and don't let the grass grow under your feet while you are about it or there 
won't be any potatoes left, for Billy has been tasting them on the pretext of seeing 
whether there was seasoning enough in them. 




Chapter 18. 

THE FIRE ACROSS THE LAKE. 

HNE very dark night, happening to step out on the loggia, Munro noticed a 
dull red glare just over the tops of the trees directly across the lake. At 
first he thought it the reflection from some large bonfire but after watch- 
ing it a few moments, large columns of smoke and flames began to shoot 
and dance above the tree tops. 

"Gee ! but that is a big fire ! I wonder what it can be. It must be 
someone's barn. Let me see, whose barn is in that direction ? Oh ! I know now, it is 
that poor young Swede's. He has just completed a new house and barn that he has 
been saving money for for years. It is too plaguy bad. I am going to get the rest 
of the fellows and see how soon we can get there to help put out the flames." 

"What are you doing, Munro ?" said William as he came out on the loggia from the 
sitting-room where all the children were reading. "By jinks ! See the fire. Let's go 
over," and the two boys hurried into the house to tell the others. At the very word 
fire, all jumped up and ran to see how large it was and if it was near enough to go to. 
It took but one short look and then without waiting for coats or hats they all climbed 
over the loggia railing and dropped to the ground as that was a shorter way than going 
around to the steps. Like a flock of- sheep the girls followed the boys, who did not 
call out for them to stay behind for they always played together, and in fact felt lost 
without each other. These girls were not the kind that fell down and cried or could 
not climb a fence or tree as well as their chums ; on the contrary, some of the girls 
could beat the boys playing tennis and were just as good swimmers and rowers ; so 
where the boys went the girls went too, instinctively pairing off when it came to doing 
a hard thing so that the boys might help them. 

Miss Amelia on hearing the cry of "Fire ! fire !" and the running feet, came flying 
out of her room for, of course, she thought something was on fire on the farm, but 
when she looked toward the west and saw the reflection she knew immediately where 
it was. 

143 



144 



FRANCES AND THE IRREPRESSIBLES 



"Poor fellow !" she said. "There goes all his hard work for years and his savings 

all going np in smoke. I do hope it isn't his new house for it will break his wife's 

heart to see all their belongings burn up when she had such a hard time trying to get 
along as best she could with her three small children and saving what little could be 
spared from actual necessities. My ! but it is a big fire ! I shouldn't wonder but what 
it had caught his hay and straw stacks from the way the flames are spreading and 
the black smoke rolling up. Oh, Elizabeth ! Elizabeth ! come see the fire." 

"What a perfect shame!" exclaimed Miss Elizabeth as she stood watching it, 




NORTH side; of FARM HOUSE; SHOWING LOGGIA OVE;r KITCHEN. 

"Amelia, see those black things bobbing up and down on the lake. What can they 
be? Oh! I see," as an extra huge flame lit up the surrounding landscape, "they are 

boats." 

"Yes," said Amelia. "As I came out, the children, one and all, were just scamper- 
ing off to the woods on their way to the fire. I expect they have gone to see what 
they can do to help. And they are so brave and reckless when they think they can be 
of assistance to any one that I am afraid some of them will get hurt." 

"Amelia, I am going to the fire," said Miss Elizabeth, after watching it for a 
few minutes. 



' AT BUENA VISTA FARM 145 

"You can't get there now the children have taken the boats, unless you walk 
around the lake and that will be too far." 

"Yes, I can. I will hitch Fleet to the light wagon and drive there." 

"Well, if you are going I am going with you and while you are getting the horse 
I will hunt up all the pails I can find, for they will need them. Poor souls ! they proba- 
bly have but one or two pails on the place." 

Running, jumping, stumbling, and falling, ran the children. through the woods to 
see who could get to the boats the quickest, pretending they were a fire brigade. In 
one boat piled William and Gwendolyn, Frances and Caryl. In another Arthur and 
Eugenea, Champlain and Beatrice, while in the third came Munro and Natalie, Regis 
and Lolita. 

Out from the shore shot the boats with the boys bending to their oars like trained 
sailors, while the girls managed the rudders and sat on the bows ready to jump out 
and fasten the boats the minute they touched shore. 

"O-o-oh ! Did you see that dreadful high flame ?" exclaimed Frances. 

"Just hear it roar !" said Gwendolyn. 

Smash and crash ! went Caryl's oar, split right in two. 

"For mercy's sake ! Did any one ever hear of such bad luck as having that oar 
break just now !'' cried Gwendolyn. "Now the others will get there before us. Isn't 
it too provoking ?" 

"No, they won't," said Billy, "for here is an old paddle in the bottom of the boat and 
we can use that, beside, we were a little ahead when we started." 

"Hello ! What's the matter ?" cried Regis as their boat shot by them. "Ta-ta, see 
you later," called the boy who would rather tease than eat. 

"Never you mind," answered Gwendolyn. 

"You are not there yet and you have heard what happened to the man who laughed 
first, haven't you ?" called Frances. 

As if her words had been a prophecy, the rickety old seat Regis was sitting on gave 
way and landed him flat on his back in the bottom of the boat with both oars standing 
straight up on end, dripping water on him. 

A peal of laughter from Frances and Gwendolyn rang over the water, and while 
Regis was gathering himself up, the boat the girls were in passed them, for by this time 
Caryl's old paddle was working quite as well as the oar. A,s the boat passed, the girls 
could not help calling out, "Ta-ta, see you later !" 

To this sally. Regis tried to throw a hatful of water over them, lauehing as he 
did so. 



146 FRANCES AND THE IRREPRESSIBLES 

"You have one on me all right, but remember what you said to me a minute ago, 
'He who laughs first,' for some other mishap may befall you before you reach shore." 

"Oh, no it won't, for we're near enough to wade now," and inside of two minutes 
the boats were tied and the children were running through the woods hand in hand, so 
they could make better time and not get separated in the darkness. Their only light 
was the glare of the flames blazing uncertainly through the trees. When they came out 
of the woods they saw before them, just across a lot on the other side of the road, a 
roaring, crackling fire. Seven hay and straw-stacks and the Swede's new barn were 
on fire. It was a pitiful sight for there was no one there to fight the flames but the 
poor Swede and his wife, and what could they do with only three or four milk pails 
that had to be filled from the bucket in the well? Their children were huddled to- 
gether near the fence to keep them out of harm, while the wife with streaming eyes 
filled pail after pail with water and carried it to her husband to throw on the flames. 
She might as well have saved her strength for the fire had spread so that a pailful was 
a drop in a bucket. 

The boys saw in a moment that there was no use in trying to save the barn, but 
the Swede had lost his head and seemed to be working blindly to save this, while his 
horses and cows were still inside. Think of a man trying to put out a fire by climbing 
up a ladder and pouring a bucket of water on it from the roof ! 

"Here, Oscar ! Come down and help us get your horses and cows out," called 
Munro. 

"I try. He no go out," answered Oscar. 

"Yes, they will come. Try again before the roof falls in on them." 

"I save barn. He costs heaps money. He no costs so much." 

"Yes, but don't you see that you cannot save the barn, while perhaps you can save 
the horses and cows," persisted Munro. 

"Oh, come on, Munro. He has lost his head. Most foreigners do when any 
trouble arises where they have to think and act quickly," answered William. 

"I guess you're right," answered Munro as they left the poor fellow sitting on top 
of the barn and ran into the stall to try to get the horses out. 

At first, as the Swede had said, they refused to move, but this did not discourage 
the boys, for they had read that the only way to get an animal out of a fire was to cover 
its head so that it could not see and then lead it out. Even after Regis did this, one 
horse refused to start, so Regis jumped on its back and, digging his heels into it, at 
last made it go. The horse evidently thought it would be safe to go where its rider 
went. 



AT BUENA VISTA FARM 147 

While Regis, Munro, and William were getting the horses out, Caryl, Champlain, 
and Arthur were trying to drive the cows out. This would have been easy to do had 
the Swede not fastened them in their stalls by some new invention of his own that 
held their heads between two upright boards with a queer contrivance at the top to 
fasten them in. This the boys worked and pulled at, with the smoke blinding them 
and the hot cinders dropping on them, and they were about to give up, when Champlain 
discovered how to release their heads. I can tell you Mrs. Cow did not tarry long 
after her head was loose, but went out of the burning stable in a hurry, snorting and 
whisking her tail. While the boys were working over the animals, Estelle rode up on 
horseback, and she, with the assistance of the other girls, ran the Swede's wagon out 
of the barn and saved all of his harness. 

"Gee ! hear the pigs squeal !" said Arthur to Eugenea. "Their pen must be on fire. 
Come let's see." 

Running back of the barn they found the poor pigs being literally burned alive by 
the red hot cinders that were falling upon them. 

"Oh ! Oh ! By the jumping jingo ! I don't blame them for squealing !" cried Arthur, 
"for one of those blamed hot coals has fallen inside my shirt collar," and he jumped 
and danced about until he at last got it out. 

"Quick, Arthur, quick. I have nearly got the gate open and then the pigs can 
get out," called Eugenea. 

"Gene, look out ! look out ! Your dress is all on fire ! Lie down and roll on it, 
quick !" called Arthur, running to her assistance, at the same time jerking off his coat 
to wrap around her to smother the flames. As luck would have it, the fire was put 
out in a few seconds but Eugenea was minus the back of her dress. 

The roof of the barn was about to fall in when they spied the Swede sitting out- 
side on the ridge. The poor man was so overcome by his grief that he failed to realize 
his danger and he paid no attention to their repeated calls. His wife also stood at the 
foot of the ladder wringing her hands and calling frantically for him to come down. 

"I'll go after him," said William, and up he went, and the top of the ladder was 
reached before he could arouse him or make him move. The watchers below saw 
William take him by the coat collar and commence to slide down the steep side of the 
roof with him, but presently he came to his senses and soon they were both safely 
down. 

"Look ! look !" cried Frances. "The house is on fire !" And sure enough it was. 
A spark had ignited the roof. Like a whirlwind, the boys flew to the house and soon 



148 



FRANCES AND THE IRREPRESSIBLES 



appeared on the roof, having come up on the inside, dragging a carpet and some bed 
comforters after them. 

"Now, we must start a bucket hose," said Estelle. 'T will draw the water from 
the well, pour it into a pail, and pass it on to Gwendolyn. Then she must pass it 
on to Frances and so on until it reaches the ladder against the house where the boys 
will take it, carry it to the roof, and pour on the carpets and comforts so that the sparks 
from the barn can't set fire to the roof. As soon as the barn roof falls, the sparks will 
stop flying and then there will be no more danger to the house." 

At this juncture, Miss Amelia and Miss Elizabeth with a wagon-load of pails 
arrived on the scene, and with this new help the fire was soon put out, but had the 
boys not come when they did, by the time the other neighbors arrived there would 
have been no house or cattle left to save. 

As the children tramped home you would have thought they were a party of chim- 
ney-sweeps or beggars. Their faces and hands were so begrimed by smoke and dirt 
and their clothes so torn and burned that one could scarcely recognize them. 

It was pitch dark going back through the woods and they had to keep close to- 
gether so as not to get lost. As it was they had man}^ little mishaps, falling over logs 

and running into barbed-wire fences, but at last 
they reached the lake and luck was certainly with 
them for just as they got there the moon came up 
and shed its rays all over the lake so they could 
easily see their boats. I don't know what they 
would have done had it not been so, for no one 
had thought of bringing a lantern and it would 
have been hard work to find the pier with the dark 
woods throwing shadows upon it. 

"1 am so hungry I can hardly walk straight," 
said Munro. 

"So am I, and I, and I," they all chimed in. 
"Let's make a raid on the kitchen the minute 
we get home," said Beatrice. 

"I second the motion," said Champlain. 

"I hope there are some doughnuts with lots of powdered sugar on them," said 
Lolita. 

Half an hour afterwards you could have seen them roosting around on chairs and 
tables in the big kitchen, eating all kinds of cold stuff. For instance, Arthur had a 




lake; de neveu. 



AT BUENA VISTA FARM 



149 



pot of Boston-baked beans from which he was trying to fish the beans out with a 
fork. Champlain had the remains of an apple-tapioca pudding. Regis, a pumpkin 
pie. Eugenea, a sHce of jelly-cake. Gwendolyn, a big apple. William, some bread 
and maple syrup, while Munro was helping himself to some of Billy's syrup by stick- 
ing his bread in it. Frances had a piece of soft ginger bread, Beatrice a slice of cur- 
rant bread with lots of butter on it, Natalie had a handful of nut-cookies, while Lolita 
and Caryl were sharing a custard. They looked like tramps who had raided some fine 
larder for they had not stopped to wash themselves, they were so hungry. 





Chapter 19. 

THE LITTLE TOTS GET INTO MISCHIEF. 

^NE rainy day the nurses thought they would give the children a treat by 
making some molasses candy and pop-corn balls for them. They popped 
the corn first, thinking it would keep the children quiet while they 
pulled the candy. Even Baby Diana was to be in this treat for she was 
to have a towel pinned round her neck and to be allowed to suck her 
candy and get just as sticky as she liked. 
Before the nurses started to pull the candy, they shut all the children in a large 
room with a quilt spread on the floor on which Lady Diana ruled as queen, with the 
other children as her subjects. What fun they were going to have with the nurses 
all out of the room and a big bowl of pop-corn set on the floor around which they 
clustered like so many flies ! Now they could eat with both hands if they wanted to 
for there was no one to say, "Dorothy, don't fill your mouth so full," or "Alice Roselia,- 
eat with one hand and don't shove it in your mouth by the handful," and such remarks 
as nurses are wont to make. 

When they had eaten about all they wanted, Dorothy said : "Let's stick pop-corn 
on Lady Diana's head and make her look like a bid, round pop-corn ball. Won't 
her look funny wiv it stickin' on de end of her nose and on her ears !" 

"Let's do it," said Alice Roselia, jumping up to begin operations at once. "Come, 
Robert and Graveraet. You must help else we can't get it done before Debba and 
Jennie come back." 

Four pairs of hands were soon busy turning Lady Diana's head into a sticky pop- 
corn ball and the dear little tot laughed and showed her two pearly teeth and thought 
it great fun only when they pressed too hard or went to stick it on the end of her nose, 
when it made her sneeze. 

"Dere, dere, honey-bird ! Don't oo kye," said Dorothy, when she pressed a kernel 
of corn, that would not stick, too hard against her tender, little cheek until the tears ran 
out of her eyes. "Oo's a precious and Fll tiss oo, so I will." 

ISO 



AT BUENA VISTA FARM 



151 



"Oh ! See what Charles and Robert are doing !" exclaimed Alice Roselia. 
And it was a sight worth seeing for the twins were trying to turn themselves into 
pop-corn balls like Lady Diana. Charles was sitting on the floor while Robert was 

pouring the contents of the bowl on his head 
thinking that it would stick like the corn did on 
the baby, but when it failed to do so, they both 
sat down and worked diligently with their little 
plump hands, and with Alice Roselia's help they 
succeeded, for many an obliging kernel happened 
to have enough melted sugar on it to make it 
stick and when the nurses returned there sat 
three of the queerest-looking little tots you ever 
saw. Lady Diana was a sight for the gods with 
her head one round ball of corn, only where her 
big brown eyes twinkled out, while the twins were 
most laughable with the corn sticking to their 
hair, making their heads look abnormally large 
in the back, with their little faces dotted here 
and there in the most ridiculous manner by a 
stray kernel which stood out like a huge wart. 

Good-natured Deborah laughed when she 

saw them, but Jennie, who never seemed able to 

see anything funny in children's pranks, was for 

scolding them. Deborah, however, put a stop to that and said : "Can't you ever see 

the difference between naughtiness and just innocent fun? Don't touch them but let 

them sit just where they are until I call the rest to see how funny they look." 

Jennie, who was not really bad-tempered, soon began to smile also at the com- 
ical appearance they made. The only matter with Jennie was that she was 
always calculating on the trouble it was going to be to clean up after these 
pranks. Dorothy would have driven her to madness but Deborah understood 
hei little charge to perfection and let her play her pranks to work off her extra energy 
without scoldmg her, well knowing that if she were suppressed she would get cross 
and peevish. If more mothers and nurses could only understand the difference be- 
tween pure innocent mischief and downright naughtiness, they would save themselves a 
great deal of unnecessary worry and the children many heart-aches and spankings. 




LADY DIANA. 



J52 FRANCES AND THE IRREPRESSIBLES 

When the others arrived on the scene, they nearly had hysterics laughing so 
much. 

It was all great fun putting the corn in the hair as it stuck easily, but to get it out 
was another matter and like most mischief, easy to get into but hard to get out of. 
It pulled Lady Diana's hair so that they had to put her in a bath-tub and soak it out 
and the only way they could keep her 'Still even then, was to give her a big piece of 
molasses candy to suck. At last it was all out and she was as sweet and clean as a 
lavender blossom, which she certainly smelt like, as lavender was her special perfume, 
none other ever having been used in her sachets from the time she was born. Each 
of Mrs. Winton's children had had a special perfume dedicated to their use when born 
and all their clothes were scented with a faint odor of the blossoms used. Estelle's was 
violet, Frances' white rose, Dorothy's carnation pink, Munro's spicy India per- 
fume. Frances had as keen a scent as a hunting dog and could always tell to 
which member of the family any article of clothing belonged by the scent, and they 
used to tease her about her trick of smelling everything. 

As Lady Diana was sitting on Jennie's lap, having her sleeves tied up with blue rib- 
bons, Jennie said to Deborah : "I bet you my last-year's hat it was Dorothy that 
put those children up to that pop-corn trick. I would not take care of her for a 
million dollars ! Why, you can't turn your back but she gets into mischief and it is 
all that you can do to keep her in sight she is so quick. Even when you put her to 
bed you don't know whether or not she is going to stay there." 

"It is all those things that I like about her," answered Deborah, "She is so 
smart and quick-witted. I wouldn't like to take care of one of those goody-goody, 
stupid children, who are good because they haven't brains enough to be bad. If you 
stay with Mrs. Winton long enough you will find that Lady Diana will grow to be 
much like Dorothy for I can see it coming now." 

"Well, if she does, I will leave at the first symptom." 

One day Dorothy came running from the barn all excitement, holding up her apron, 
in which something was seen to squirm, while behind her ran an old cat, mewing 
pitifully. 

"What have you there in your apron, Dorothy?" asked William, who met her. 

"If 00 will promise not to take um back, I'll show oo." 

"I'll promise," said William, but before he promised, he knew by the pitiful wails 
that she had stolen the old cat's kittens. "Why, Dorothy ! They are too young to be 
taken out of their nest. They haven't their eyes open yet and they aren't any bigger 
than rats." 



AT BUENA VISTA FARM 153 

'T don't tare ! I tan make um eyes open and dey will drow fast when I put um in 
my doll cradle and cover nm up warm." 

"No, dearie, they won't. Come, go back with William and we will put them 
in their nest and let their mamma take care of them until they are older. See how she 
is crying for them now." 

"No, I won't! I found um and I want to play wiv um wight now. I tant wait 
for um to drow up," and the little spoiled pet commenced to jump up and down and 
cry. This jolted the kittens so they mewed louder than ever. 

"Oh-h, 00-00 ! Oo said 00 would not take um back if I telled 00 what I had 
in my apron and now 00 amn't keepin' oor word," wailed Dorothy, at the top of her 
voice. This brought Munro on the scene from the barn where he was harnessing 
his pony. 

"Dorothy ! Dorothy ! Stop that howling this minute. You are too big to have 
tantrums." 

"No, I isn't, and Ise doin' to have one 'cause Willum won't let me keep and play wiv 
de kittens !" 

"I should think not," said Munro, when he took a peep into her apron and saw 
them. "Why they are so young that they are positively homely and they look as 
if they hadn't any eyes they have them shut up so tight." 

"I don't tare. I want um !"' 

"Well, you can't have them and that settles it. Here, put them in my hat and 
show me where you got them," said Munro in a stern voice. 

"Here, Dorothy," said William, "let Munro take the kittens and I will carry you 
so you can show us where you found them." 

When Dorothy saw that there was no use in fussing, she stopped her howling 
and sobbed quietly in William's neck as they made their way back to the barn. This 
nearly broke the boy up. He could stand her howling but when she sobbed, it nearly 
killed him and he said : "Oh, Munro, let her have them. She will soon get tired and 
then we can carry them back." 

"You would be a nice one to bring up children, you would, if you let a few sobs 
and a little salt water down you neck persuade you. I don't like to hear crying any 
more than you do but I can't give up to her when she is in the wrong." By this time 
they had reached the barn. "Now, Dorothy, where did you get the kittens?" 

"Up in de haymow in a 'ittle round nest like a hen's nest. And de old tat had 
a nestful of um 'cause there were five of um, and I only took free." 

"What did you do with the others?'' 



154 



FRANCES AND THE IRREPRESSIBLES 



"1 left um in de nest." 

"Well ! It beats me how you ever climbed down that ladder with your apron full 
of kittens, without breaking your neck," said Munro. 

As they walked to the barn, William was rubbing his cheek against Dorothy 
to let her know that he sympathized with her and presently she stopped sobbing and 
hugged and kissed him, whispering in his ear that she loved him and that Munro was 
a nasty, cross brother, so he was, and she would not kiss or make up with him for 
a million years. 

When they had climbed the ladder into the haymow, they heard the kittens, that 

had been left in the nest, mewing 
for their mother, for they were 
cold and missed her soft warm 
fur and their little sisters to cud- 
dle up to. As soon as Munro 
put the stolen kittens back in the 
nest, their mother licked them all 
over to smooth their fur, and 
gave a little extra lick to the lit- 
tle ones that had been left be- 
hind, to let them know that she 
was back, and soon they were all 




THE KITTENS DOROTHY STOLE. 



having a nice warm luncheon of milk. 

"Don't her eyes really seem to thank us ?" said William. 

"Yes," answered Munro, "and did you notice the distressed, scared look she had 
when Dorothy was carrying them. No human mother could have looked more 
frightened and worried than she if her babies had been carried ofif by a giant." 




/^""^^' 

g 



Chapter 20. 

THE PIGEONS ARE STOLEN. 

|OLONEL is gone ! Colonel is gone !" cried Frances, bursting into the 
sitting-room one morning where the boys were reading up on homing 
pigeons, peacocks, and the different breeds of chickens, ducks, and geese. 
Since they had taken to raising fowls themselves, all literature on the 
subject was very interesting to them. And just now Champlain had 
found something that they had never heard of before but which would 
prove very useful to them. It was an article on chickens and stated that some breeds 
preferred *to set and others to lay. 

"Doesn't it seem strange that they should have any preference?" said Munro. 
"Read on, Champlain, and tell us which breeds like to set best and which prefer 
to lay," said William. 

"It says," read Champlain, "that the Brahmas, Leghorns, and Houdans prefer to 
lay, while Dorkings, Plymouth Rocks and Cochins like best to set." 

"And I have gone and set my big Leghorn hen, and I should have let her lay, 
as she did not want to set at all and went off and left her eggs twice, while I had to 
dip my speckled Plymouth Rock hen in a bucket of water to keep her from setting," 
said William, 

"Oh, bother your chicken talk !" cried Frances excitedly. "Didn't you hear me 
say that Colonel was gone and lots of our other pigeons. Some one has stolen 
them." 

At the word stolen, the boys commenced to listen. 

"Stolen, did you say?" asked Munro. "How do you know that they were 
stolen ?" 

"Because the lock is broken, the door open, and the pigeons gone. Beside there 
are footprints in the mud in the yard. Oh, think of it! Our beautiful, proud old 
Colonel gone and just when we were ready to send him on his trial trip with a note 
to mamma. I could just cry I am so sorry." 

155 



156 



FRANCES AND THE IRREPRESSIBLES 



"Who do you suppose has done it?'' asked Munro of Champlain. 
"I am sure I don't know or I would punch his head." 

"I'll tell you what. He will fly back the minute they let him out, unless they took 

his mate, Lady." 

"Is she gone too?" asked 
Munro. 

"I am sure I don't know. 
Come and see for yourself and 
don't stop talking here," said 
Frances, as she hurried out of 
the door toward the pigeon- 
house to see how many more had 
been stolen. 

The boys followed close at 
her heels and found her standing 
before a whole flock of pigeons 
feeding them so she could the 
more easily see what ones were 
missing. She made a pretty pic- 
ture as she stood there in the 
sunlight with a basket of grain 
on one arm with a pigeon on 
its edge stealing wheat from her, while two more were perched on her shoulders 
and head. 

"Beauty, get off that basket! You saucy thing, to steal the food right from 
under my eyes," said Frances to a lovely fawn-colored dove with a black ring round 
its neck and its wings marked with black half moons. This pigeon was a cross be- 
tween a wild pigeon and a dove. 

"See here. Buster. The next time you come tumbling down off the roof of the 
pigeon-house, please leave more room between yourself and me, for you nearly 
knocked my nose oif on your way down," she said, addressing a big puffed-out tumbler 
pigeon. "Oh, Munro, they have taken my grand big hooded pigeon, the one that 
had the wine-colored iridescent feathers standing up like a ruche round his smooth, 
white head," she cried, the tears standing in her eyes at the discovery of this last 
loss. 

"Never mind, Frances," said Caryl. "We will get them all back, for they were 




CARRIER PIGEONS, COLONEIv AND HIS MATE, LADY. 



AT BUENA VISTA FARM 



157 



probably stolen by some bad boys from town and we will drive in and visit every 
dove-cote there until we find them." 

"If we catch them we'll make it hot for them," said Billy. 

"Oh, Billy !"' called Regis from the other side of the high fence where the pea- 
cocks were kept. "Come here. Those darned rascals have stolen my peacock eggs 
from under my peahen and they were almost ready to hatch out." 

"I wonder if they took any ducks and chickens while they were about it?" asked 
Champlain. "Where's Art?" . 

"Oh, say, boys ! Come here. A pair of my fattest ducks are gone and some 
broilers that were just the right size to sell," called Art. 

"Let us turn ourselves into detectives and hunt the thieves down," said Billy. 
"There must be some clue besides the footprints. Let us look and see." 

"See Vv'hat I have found," said Frances. "A piece of their coat or trousers stick- 
ing to a nail. They must have torn it out as they were crawling between these 
palings." 

"Good for you, Frances," said Champ. "That will be a fine clue and we can use 
it to identify the thief when we catch him." 

"Yes, if we do," said Art. 

"Maybe he won't wear those clothes again," said Beatrice. 

"Oh, yes he will for probably they are the only ones he has," said Champ. 

"Chicken thieves don't often have an extensive wardrobe," said Regis, "and I'll 
bet this is his only suit." 

"Oh-o, my big fat goose is gone !" wailed Gene. "Art and I shut her up last 
night to fatten for ' Miss Amelia's Fourth of July dinner. I am just going to pull 
all the hair out of that thief's head when I catch him !" 

"What is the matter. Gene?" said Natalie and Gwendolyn, coming up. They had 
just returned from a horseback ride and had not heard of the theft. As soon as Gene 
told her tale of woe, they flew to see if any of their pets had been taken and 
Natalie found her pet pigeon was missing and Gwendolyn's black swan. 

"Let's get on our ponies, ride to town, and inspect everybody's back yard over 
the fences and perhaps we may get on the track of the rascals," said Regis. 

"That is just what we will do. There are enough of us to scour the town. We 
will each take a street and ride through the alleys, looking into all the back yards 
and I am sure we will find our missing fowls," said Munro. 

"Well, I guess if I clap eyes on my goose I will know it. She is marked so 
peculiarly, with a bunch of black feathers right on top of her head that looks like 



158 FRANCES AND THE IRREPRESSIBLES 

a drop of ink. No one would notice it unless looking for it because it is so small," 
said Genei 

In twenty minutes' time, the Irrepressibles were on their ponies, galloping to town 
but their ride and search proved fruitless, probably because whoever stole the pigeons 
had shut them up for a few days for fear they would fly back home, and had penned 
up the ducks, chickens and geese preparatory to killing them. 

"They made such a good haul this time they will probably come back in a night 
or two to try to steal some more," said Munro. 

'T know how to catch them," said Billy. "I heard of a man doing it to catch 
a darky chicken-thief and we might try it too." 

"What is it? Do tell us," said Gwendolyn. 

"Well! He kept missing his chickens night after night, although his chicken- 
yard door was locked, and at last he found that a thief had been crawling through 
the fence where two or three palings were off, so he painted both sides of the 
opening with thick red paint knowing it would rub off on the thief's clothes as he 
crawled through and he would never know it was there as it would be too dark for 
him to see it. Now I propose that we paint our fence and see what happens. We 
must put it on when it is dark so that it will be nice and wet and not have time to dry 
before the thieves come." 

The children did this for several nights but without results until about a week 
had passed, when they saw a boy with a coat streaked with red paint across the back, 
walking along the road in front of the house. Before they had time to collect their 
thoughts he had seen them and taking to his heels had disappeared in the thicket. 

It lacked but a day of being a week from the time that the pigeons were stolen, 
when they saw. Colonel trying to get to his mate through the wire netting of the 
pigeon-yard. He was outside, strutting up and down and Lady, his mate, was cooing 
for him to come in, but to no purpose. Though he tried, he could not even stick his 
head through the meshes of the wire. 

"Oh, you dear old fellow !" cried Frances, on seeing him. "I'll let you in." 

The children were satisfied that the pigeon's return proved that he would find 
his way back home if he were sent out with a note. It was six miles to Fond du Lac 
but he had found his way back. The gentleman they bought him from had told them 
that when Colonel was a young pigeon his owner moved from Chicago to Woods 
Hull and took all his pigeons with him, and after he had lived there three years he 
moved back to Chicago but to a different part of the city. One day he let Colonel 
and his mate out, thinking they had been in their new home long enough to get at- 



AT BUENA VISTA FARM 159 

tached to it and thought nothing more about it, but at night Colonel and his mate did 
not come home to roost. When the gentleman noticed this he thought they must 
have gone back to Woods Hull, but no. The next morning, Colonel and his mate 
turned up at feeding time, stayed all day, and disappeared again at night. This 
aroused their owner's curiosity and he decided to find out where they went to roost. 
At feeding time that night he kept a close watch on Colonel who, as soon as he had 
finished feeding, rose in the air with his mate, made two or three circles, as if getting 
their bearings, and then flew off in a straight line over the housetops toward the south- 
east. "Now where can they be going?" mused the gentleman. All of a sudden the 
thought came to him, that the birds' flight had been in the direction of their old 
home where Colonel was born. But how could a bird remember for three years where 
it had lived before going to Woods Hull, Massachusetts ? To prove his surmise, he 
took a car and went to his old home. He was some time getting there as it was 
a good ways off and the cars took him a round-about way, while the pigeons had 
taken a bee-line. At last he arrived just at dark and looking up at the dove-cote he 
saw Colonel and Lady, roosting there side by side. 

The gentleman told this to the children to prove what good memories and strong 
affections the birds have for their old homes. He also told them that it took him over 
a week to catch Colonel and he only succeeded then through his affection for his 
mate. He shut her up at his new home and when Colonel found that she could not 
go with him, he gave up going after the first night and went to roost outside the cote 
where she was confined. 

''Don't you think it was sweet of him to give up the old home he loved so much 
for his mate ?" said Frances, after Munro had reminded the others of the gentleman's 
story. "I do and I just love him, and I would cry my eyes out if I thought anything 
had happened to him." 

Two nights after Colonel's return, Munro, Champ, and Billy, who were sleeping 
in the cabin near the dove-cote, were awakened by the barking of the dogs which 
they had left loose to give the alarm if any one came prowling around the chicken 
and the pigeon-houses. The boys were up and out in three shakes of a lamb's tail 
bjut they were too late to catch one of the culprits whom they saw running down the 
road, pursued by Teddy Roosevelt, who was close at his heels. 

But what was the matter with Hero ? He was going on as if he were crazy, 
barking and trying to get through an opening in the picket fence of the chicken-yard. 
It was too small for him but he would bound at it, get his head and neck through 
and then get stuck by his shoulders, which made him wild. Evidently there was 



i6o 



FRANCES AND THE IRREPRESSIBLES 



some one hiding inside that he was trying to get at. Billy and Munro tried to 
quiet him as they crawled through into the yard, while Champ ran back for a lan- 
tern. It was pitch dark in the chicken yard and they could at first discover no one, 



so they were afraid that whoever was 
Hero to keep watch by the hole in 
inside. Presently, they heard a great 
house and they immediately knew 
there and had scared the chickens, 
glass and knew that he was trying 
do.w and escape that way. 
on a run and reached 
house just in 
of heels disap- 
window, but to their 
heard Champlain call : 
here." 



there might escape them. Munro told 
the fence while he and Billy went 
cackling and fluttering in the chicken- 
that the thief was trying to hide 
Then they heard the crash of 
to smash the win- 
They both started 
the door of the 
time to see a pair 
pear through the 
surprise, they 

'T have him, boys! Come 
BOSTON TERRIER— TEDDY ROOSEVELT. 




Just as the thief was crawling through the window Champ came around the cor- 
ner of the house with his lantern and while the chicken thief was partly in the 
window and partly out, he caught and bound him. 

The thief turned out to be the same boy they had caught once before stealing 
a ground-hog out of one of their traps. After binding his arms tightly, they made 
him walk into the cabin where they tied him to a chair. 

Now the strangest thing of all happened. When they lit the light to get a good 
look at the boy they were surprised to see what a nice face he had. He had large 
dark eyes, with a rather sad expression in them. Instead of the coarse, hard 
features of a boy criminal, they were surprised to see a refined face. The boy sat 
quietly in the chair, not trying to get away, neither did he look worried or annoyed. 
He simply sat there and took in everything m the room, themselves included, with 
a curious air as of one in a strange house. He said nothing and our boys felt both 
surprised and embarrassed and did not know what to say or do. 

"Say, boys ! Let's make some coffee and toast even if it is midnight. It will help 
to keep us awake until daylight," said Munro. 

They went into the kitchen, leaving the boy alone. When the coffee and toast 
were ready they brought their prisoner a steaming hot cup and three generous slices 
of toast, but when William offered it to him and heard his polite refusal and saw 



AT BUENA VISTA FARM 



i6i 



the queer smile that played round 
his rnouth, he nearly dropped the 
coffee and toast in his embarrass- 
ment at forgetting they had tied 
the boy's hands behind him. 

Champ, coming in just then 
and seeing the situation, said, 
"Say, Tom, Dick, or Harry, or 
whatever your name may be, we 
will untie your hands if you will 
promise not to take advantage of 
it and throw the coffee in our 
faces." 

"My name is Tom Tatters 
and if you knew how hungry I 
am you would know that every 
drop of it is too precious for me 
to waste, even to throw it at 
my enemies. But strange as it 
may seem to you I don't count 
you boys my enemies for I have 
watched you so many days, while 
I was hid in the thicket or some- 
where else, that I almost look 
upon you as friends, but I don't 
blame you for binding me. I 
know if you knew what drove 
me to try and steal your chickens 
you would not censure me." 

"Here, Champ and Billy ! 
Help me move his chair up to 
the table and he can tell us what 
made him try to steal, while we 
are eating our toast and coffee," 
said ]\Iunro. 

"You may not believe it, but this is the only hot thing I have had for 
days and I have had absolutely nothing to eat since yesterday morning but a couple 




TOM TATTERS. 



i62 FRANCES AND THE IRREPRESSIBLES 

of raw eggs I stole out of your hens' nest. To make a long story short, my mother 
is an invalid, confined to her bed. My father was a drunkard and abused both my 
mother and myself. He worked on the railroad and early this spring he fell from 
a hand-car when drunk and broke his neck. Since that time, mother and I have 
nearly starved, when I could not get work to do. No one would take me in a 
store because I was ragged and barefooted. I had no other clothes or money to buy 
them as it took all I could earn chopping wood, holding horses, or doing odd jobs 
to buy food and medicine for mother. She did not know I went hungry and I tried 
to hide the hungry-wolf look on my face while I sat by her bed and watched her 
eat the toast and tea or the baked apple I had stolen and cooked for her. Last week 
the doctor said she would not live unless she had more nourishing food — something 
like chicken broth. Now mother is all I have in the world and I love her dearly, so 
I made up my mind that she should have her chicken broth if I had to steal the chick- 
ens to make it. I first asked the butchers in town to trust me for a chicken but they 
laughed in my face and called me a bare-footed rascal and told me to be gone. Then 
I begged from door to door but the cooks only gave me their sour bread or scraps 
a dog would not eat, and I could not take her those. Then I thought it would not be 
very wicked to steal a couple of your chickens as 3'OU were rich and had so many, so I 
came here and hid in the bushes until you went to bed, but I was surprised when I 
went to creep through the fence to see a boy come running out with your dog at his 
heels. Then the big St. Bernard spied me and I crawled into the chicken-yard to get 
away from him. Then you came out and caught me." 

"Why didn't you tell us this before and we would have gladly given you all the 
chickens and provisions you needed," said Munro. 

While Munro was saying this, Billy was cutting the ropes around Tommy's legs 
that bound him to the chair, and Champ was refilling his coffee cup and setting before 
him a plate of cold chicken, potatoes, and bread and butter. 

"There, eat every scrap of that and have some more when you have finished," 
urged Champ. 

Tom thanked him with the tears in his eyes and then he said, "Would you mind 
not telling mother that I was caught stealing and let me take her a piece of this cold 
chicken ?" 

"No, you can't take her any of that cold chicken," said Champ in a cross tone. 
"You have to eat every scrap of it yourself and we will make up a basket and take 
it to your mother to-morrow." Champ had to speak crossly in order to hide the tears 
that were in his voice. 



AT BUENA VISTA FARM 163 

"I'll tell you what we will do," said Munro. "We will all go through our clothes 
in the morning and fix Tom out. He is just about our size and between us we shall 
be able to fit him out in fine shape. Then we will take some of our chicken and egg 
money and buy him a Sunday suit, beside the girls can hunt around and find a nice 
soft wrapper and lots of other things which are useful for his mother. You can 
take them to her and we will give you a job out here so you can have steady pay. 
The work will be light like feeding the fowls and such things." 

"Before I forget," said Tom, "the boy you saw running away is the one that 
stole your carrier pigeon and goose and I know where he lives and can get them back 
for you without any trouble if he has not eaten the goose." 

"Oh, he can keep the goose. The pigeon came back itself this morning," said 
Munro. 

"Maybe he too is poor and hungry," said Billy. 

The boys never spoke to a living soul about Tom's trying to steal the chickens 
and the girls thought he was one of their poor friends from town when they saw 
him eating breakfast with them in the cabin the next morning. 

When the boys drove Tom into town, he had a clothes basket full of clothes, 
medicine and food for himself and mother, to which was added a glass or two of 
jelly as a relish. This kind act was the turning point in Tom's life and he grew up 
to be a useful and respectable citizen; all on account of the kindness he received 
from the boys and the trust they put in him. When they reached town they saw 
a boy with the streaks of red paint on his clothes and Tom told them it was the 
boy who had stolen the chickens but they let him go unmolested. 



-^^^^^j^- 



R 



Chapter 21. 

THE LUNCHEON. 

AT- A-T AT-TAT ! rat-a-tat-tat !"' went Beatrice's knuckles on the door of 
Eugenea's apartment about half past twelve one day. For you must 
know that she with her little boy, Robert, had been invited to luncheon 
along with Frances and Alice Roselia. Both children were dressed as 
ladies with trained dresses and their hair done up. The knock was 
■ answered by Eugenea, who was also in a long dress with a white lace 
bertha and had her hair done high with a rose in it. 

"Oh, Mrs. Kettle ! I am so glad to see you and delighted to think that you could 
bring your little boy. And you too, Mrs. Botsford. I was so afraid you could not 
come when I heard that your little baby was teething. And here is Alice Roselia ! 
Come right in and I will find Charles to play with you." 

Eugenea had arranged everything very nicely in her apartment and everywhere 
could be seen vases of fresh-cut flowers. When her guests had taken off their hats and 
gloves and were seated in the parlor, she said: "Isn't it too bad that Mrs. Winton and 
Mrs. Libby, rriy sister-in-law, could not come? Mrs. Libby's nurse has gone out and 
she had no one to keep Dorothy. She had at first intended to leave her with her 
papa, he is so crazy about her, but just then she came home dripping wet. It seems 
she and Graveraet were playing down by the pond when Dorothy suggested that they 
try to walk on the water as her Sunday School teacher said Christ did, and, of course, 
they both went to the bottom, which surprised them very much ; and Mrs. Winton was 
afraid Robert was coming down with the measles and she was afraid he would bring 
them to our children.'' 

"Your speaking about measles reminds me of what I heard at market to-day. It 
was that there were several cases of smallpox in town. I am going to send for Dr. 
Kettle and have Alice Roselia vaccinated to-morrow. I am not going to put it off a 
day, and who knows but what Robert's measles may turn out to be smallpox," said 
Mrs. Botsford. 

164 



AT BUENA VISTA FARM 



167 



"Oh, for mercy's sakes alive ! I hope not," said Mrs. Kettle, the doctor's wife. 
"I will ask my husband the minute he gets home if he thinks the children should be 
vaccinated. There is a great deal of sickness now and he is worked almost to death. 
Old Mrs. Smith called him up at twelve o'clock last night to come quick as she thought 
she had appendicitis 
and was going to 
die, but it turned out 
that she only had 
cramps." 

"Luncheon i s 
served," said Sally, 
who was playing 
maid for that day 
and had on the regu- 
lation white cap and 
apron. 

Everything went 
well until Baby 
Charles, Eugenea's 
little child, spilled 
his soup and had to 
be taken away from 
the table. While they 
were eating, her hus- 
band came in, having 
returned from a 
hunting tour, and in 
his hand he held a 
nice brace of part- 
ridges. 

"Why Arthur ! I 
did not expect you back before dark," said Eugenea. "Where are the other men? 
Did they come home with you?" 

"No, they were having such good luck they thought they would stay until dark 
but I got tired walking, so came home." 

"Won't you jom us and have some luncheon ?" 




DR. KETTLE VACCINATING ALICE ROSELIA. 



i68 FRANCES AND THE IRREPRESSIBLES 

"Yes, I believe I will if the ladies will excuse my hunting costume." 
Then all the children giggled to think how much like grown up people they were 
acting. After luncheon, Arthur excused himself and said he would go over to the club 
and await the return of the rest of his party, for, of course the ladies would wish to 
gossip over their cup of tea. 

"Indeed ! we never gossip, Mr. Libby. We consider that beneath us," said Bea- 
trice, but just the same, as he went out of the door he heard Eugenea say : "Did you 
ever in your life see such a homely pink dress as Maud Slater wore to church, last 
Sunday?" 

"Mamma, I want to go home. I don't like your tea party," said Alice Roselia. 
"My child, who did you ever hear call a luncheon a tea-party?" 
"Dr. Kettle, when he was talking to my papa. So there now." 
"I am going to have an evening- card-party next week Wednesday and I do hope 
you can all attend and I also trust that by that time all the rest of the ladies and 
gentlemen of our club will be able to come," said Mrs. Botsford. 

On their way home from the luncheon, Mrs. Botsford stopped in at the club where 
Dr. Kettle had his office, to request him to come in the morning to vaccinate Alice 
Roselia. The club was a board shanty that William, Arthur, Champlain, and Munro 
had built all by themselves. It was as cozy as could be and had two windows that 
slid back and forth and Billy had made and hemmed the curtains for it. There was a 
stove in one corner, shelves for dishes in another, while along the side was a couch 
covered with blue denim with a deep flounce to it. This flounce was made to hide a 
very convenient place for putting chairs, tables, and extra things they wanted when 
giving a dinner party to their friends, which they frequently did. Pretty pictures hung 
on the wall and a table with a long cloth on it stood in one corner. One day the boys 
had a luncheon to which they invited the girls. They called it Ladies' Day at the club. 
This is what they had to eat : Lamb chops, scrambled eggs, French peas, fried sweet- 
potatoes, cranberry sauce, olives, cake, coffee, and tea. They cooked everything them- 
selves and it was as tasty as any real cook could have made it. The girls enjoyed it 
very much. They all dressed in the mothers' clothes and pretended they were ladies. 
Only one stranger was present, and she was Mazie Green, who was visiting at the 
farm for a few days. She came with a white lace window curtain on, pretending it 
was a lace dress and her hair was tied up with ribbons. 

"At three o'clock, Gwendolyn said, "I really must be going for I am afraid if I 
stay longer that Dorothy will be getting into mischief." 



AT BUENA VISTA FARM 



169 



"I must go, too," said Natalie, but when they got to the door they found that it 
was pouring down rain. 

"Oh my ! How ever will we get home ?" 

"Stay here," said William, "until Caryl and I go and get your rubbers and 
gossamers." 

They all sat down and talked and from their conversation you would really have 
thought they were grown-ups. The boys were soon back with rubbers, shawls, gossa- 
mers, etc. 

At first it only rained gently, but it kept it up, raining harder and harder until 
by night the ditches along the road were roaring tor- 
rents. The pond was full to overflowing, as were 
the cisterns, and still it continiied to pour. Presently, 
a carriage drove up and the occupants asked for 
shelter for the night as they could not reach Fond du 
Lac in the teeth of such a storm as this, beside, the 
bridge between the two places had been washed away. 

The strangers were taken in and made comforta- 
ble and they very much enjoyed the blazing log- wood 
fire, around which they gathered, while the children 
listened to the stories of adventure the strangers told 
them, as they had been constant travelers, having gone to the most remote as well as to 
the most unfrequented parts of the world. Many of their adventures were laughable 
as well as interesting for the strangers had the happy knack of telling their stories 
well, which made them very entertaining. The party consisted of a man and wife and a 
little nine-year-old son, on their way home from Alaska. They were going to Fond du 
Lac to visit the wife's sister before starting on another long trip to Japan. 




FOND DU LAC ROAD. 




Chapter 22. 

CHASED BYA BULL. 



WHAT do you think !" cried Frances, bursting into the room. "The old bull 
has gone suddenly mad or something, for he chased Mother de Neveu 
across the barnyard and he would have gored her to death could he have 
got near enough. She was walking across the yard when he came rush- 
ing at her, bellowing and pawing the earth. She picked up a big stone 
and threw it at him, hitting him on the head, between the eyes, and as 
luck would have it, it was large enough to daze him for a minute and he stopped 
running. Beside throwing the stone she kept waving her dress to confuse him and 
make him believe that she was not afraid. But the second she turned her back, he was 
after her and he would have caught her had not John come to the rescue with a pitch- 
fork. By this time the bull was good and mad and he made a charge at John, only 
to get the pitchfork in his forehead. This made him bellow and back away, but he 
kept pawing the earth and running around the yard, making lunges at John until he and 
the other man drove him into his stall in the barn. Mother asked John what made 
him get cross so suddenly and he told her he did not know, but that those old fellows 
often did that way. Mother only said she was thankful it was she and not some of 
the children, and that we must all be warned never to cross the yard when he was out 
of the barn, or to go for the cows when he was with them." 

This incident caused great excitement among the children and led a new charm to 
the already beloved barn, for now it would be such fun to watch and see if the bull 
were about and if not very near, make a dive for the barn or else go in the barn and 
talk to him when he was safely tied in his stall. 

The next day, John let him out with the cows and drove them all to pasture to- 
gether and he seemed surly and often pawed up the ground. John had forgotten all 
about the incident and was crossing the cow-yard with a pail of milk in each hand 
when the bull, seeing him unprotected by club or pitchfork, ran after him. John threw 
the contents of the pails in his face and while the milk was blinding the bull's eyes, he 

170 



AT BUENA VISTA FARM 



171 



jumped in the barn and got his pitchfork and a long whip. Then he came out and 
whipped the bull while he protected himself with the pitchfork, for he well knew that 
if the angry creature once got the better of him, he could never do anything with him 
again. The children were again charged not to go near the stable or barnyard unless 
the bull was shut up or out in the pasture. When Madame de Neveu head of this 
new escapade, she said he must be sold before he killed somebody. 

Things went on quietly for a week. No one had been found who wanted to buy 
the bull, and he was so cross now that he was never allowed out of his stall, except to 
be watered, and even then a ring was put in his nose so he could be led. About this 
time, Estelle with a friend of hers was returning from a kodak hunt, as Munro called 
her walking trips to find attractive views that would make good kodak pictures. She 
and her friend were fiends on this subject and had 
taken hundreds of pictures which they developed, 
toned and printed themselves in a little dark room 
that had been built especially for them. They also 
made lantern slides which were afterwards thrown 
on a big sheet hung in the sitting-room so that all 
could enjoy, them. They were well worth seeing as 
Estelle had an artistic eye and only took attractive 
things. She had every subject imaginable from a 
litter of little pigs to a lovely sunset view. To-day 
as she and her friend were crossing the barnyard, 
she spied something she thought would make a pretty picture, and it was perfectly 
safe to be in the barnyard now, for his royal highness, the bull, was safely shut in his 
stall. 

"Oh, look ! What a lovely rural scene I have found," Estelle called to her friend as 
she leveled the kodak to look at it through the finder. It certainly was pretty and artis- 
tic. The old barn formed the background, with the haymow window wide open, 
while under it stood a full rack of hay ready to be unloaded in the morning and stand- 
ing by it a beautiful Jersey cow, stretching up her head, stealing the hay. 

''You take it from where you stand and I will go further along and climb up on 
that high pile of stones and take it from there, so we will have two views of it," said 
her friend. 

"Very well," replied Estelle, and she took a position and was just ready to snap it 
off, when she saw in the finder the bull coming toward her on a dead run. She gave 
one scream, picked up her skirts, and made for the wagon, hoping to get behind it 




ONE OF ESTELLE'S KODAK 
PICTURES. 



172 FRANCES AND THE IRREPRESSIBLES 

before the bull could reach her. She gauged the distance with her eye and thought 
she could do it. She jniist do it for it was the only thing to hide behind in the whole 
yard. As she ran, she noticed that he was gaining on her. She made a desperate 
effort and reached the tongue of the wagon just a second before he did. Over she 
jumped, both feet at a time. How she ever did it she could never tell. "Bang," went 
the heavy neck of the bull against it. "Crash," went the tongue, and it lay broken in 
two. Between the hay load and the barn she slipped and after her came the bull, 
"Bump," went his big shoulders against the hay rack and the barn, shaking the load 
to its foundation, but, oh joy! his shoulders were too broad. He could not squeeze 
through the narrow space. Then with a mighty bellow, he ran around to the side of 
the wagon and tried to get at her by crawling under, but he was too tall. When he 
found this out, he pawed the earth, bellowing all the time and making a dreadful fuss, 
but he did not leave the vicinity of the wagon. He stayed right there and kept poor 
Estelle a prisoner. Her friend had watched it all from her place on the pile of stones, 
but she too was only safe as long as she stayed there, for if she attempted to get off, 
she knew the bull would see her. As yet he had not noticed her, being too much oc- 
cupied in watching Estelle. The girls were prisoners for about half an hour until 
John, coming home with the cows, discovered and rescued them. It seems the bull 
had seen the Jersey through a crack in his stall and had broken down the door and 
run out, but when he saw Estelle he forgot the Jersey, in his mad hatred for all human 
beings. 

When it was all over Estelle's friend said that she never saw such a pretty flying 
jump in her life as Estelle made over the tongue of that wagon, and then her heart 
stood still when the bull rounded the wagon at the same time and she thought Estelle 
would be caught on his sharp horns. 

The next day the bull was sold to the butcher and was led away by the ring in 
his nose. 




Chapter 23. 



TELLING STORIES. 




AKE a peep into the spring-house and you will see the little tots who are 
always together, sitting on the benches that surround the bubbling spring, 
swinging their legs, some listening and others talking as fast as can be, 
for you must know that they are telling stories, and as they are the most 
unique and original ever heard, they are repeated here for your benefit. 
Dorothy, as usual, told hers first and she called it 



"the vely, vely rich family." 

"Oncetest dere was a family so rich dey didn't know what to do wiv umselves. 
Dey had more dishes dan dey tould put in deir pantries and more clocks dan dey tould 
look at if dey looked all day. Dey was on de mantels, 
on de dressers, on de tables, and standin' in de halls. 
And last, dey had so much booful gold furniture, yes 
all gold, dey had to hang de chairs on de wall. And 
one day dey had a weddin' at deir house and dey dot 
more dan a cart load of booful furniture, lamps, and 
sings and dey was in a terrible way to know what to 
do wiv um all, 'cause dey didn't want to div um av/ay 
or sell um, 'cause dey was dived to um and while dey 
was wonderin' what to do wiv um de bell rang and a 
poor woman handed in anusser present wrapped in 
a brown paper. And de poor woman was deir washer- 
woman and she was so vely, vely poor, de vely poorest woman oo ever heard of, but 
she liked de young lady what dot married and she was bound to div dat young 
lady a present, no matter if she was so vely, vely, vely poor. Now, what do oo fink 

173 




the; spring-house. 



174 FRANCES AND THE IRREPRESSIBLES 

she brought as a present, all done up in a brown paper, for de young lady? 'Member 
she was vely, vely poor." 

"I guess she brought a pair of shoes," said Graveraet. 

"No, 'deed ! Dey would have cost too much," said Dorothy. 

"A handkerchief," guessed Robert. 

"No, dat would a cost too much," said Dorothy, 

"No, it wouldn't," said Alice Roselia, " 'cause you can get handkerchiefs for three 
cents and pretty ones for five, with red roses in the border." 

"Well, I don't tare ! She didn't div her a handkerchief." 

"I know," chirped up Robert, "she gave her a stick of candy." 

"No, her didn't. If oo'll all div up tryin' to dess what her present was in de 
brown paper parcel, I'll tell oo. It was a button hole." 

"A button hole!" the listeners all exclaimed, with wide-opened eyes full of 
surprise, 

"Well ! that was nothing at all but a hole with sewing around it. Ha ! ha ! ha !" 
laughed Alice Roselia. "I guess that was a cheap present !" 

"Yes, it was, but she was too poor to buy anysing, so she just made it out of 
a ravelin' she pulled out of her dress. You see she wanted de young lady to know 
she fought about her anyway and den de young lady might string de button hole 
on her watch chain and wear it 'round her neck. Mamma says, when oo det a 
present oo must always fink of the spirit it was sent in and not what it cost." 

"Now, it is your turn, Graveraet, to tell a story, so begin." 

"A long time ago when the bears lived right over there in that woods the other 
side of the pigpen — " Here he was interrupted by Ann Elizabeth climbing into his 
lap and throwing her arms round his neck, nearly choking him, for she was deathly 
afraid of bears, and the woods on the other side of the pigpen were entirely too near 
for her to feel comfortable, sitting alone, for most likely there were bears there still. 

"Now, Ann, sit still and don't choke me while I tell you what happened. Well ! 
one day a little boy took his little gun his father had given him for a Christmas 
present, and went to shoot bears. When he got to the woods it looked dark and lone- 
some and he thought the big tall trees said, 'Go back little boy else the bears will 
eat you,' but he was a brave little boy and wouldn't go back." 

Just then a tin cup rattled down off its hook and nearly scared the children to 
death. When they saw what it was, they all laughed and Graveraet went on with 
his story : 

"The farther into the woods he walked, the darker and more lonesome it got 




Ann Elizabeth, the ' Ughs ' Won't Catch You" 

(175) 



AT BUENA VISTA FARM 



177 



but he kept on 'cause he hadn't seen a bear yet and he didn't want to go back before 
he had shot one, but it was getting darker and darker and he heard queer squeaky 
sounds in the boughs overhead and he thought he would go home, but just when 
he turned to go back he heard something go, 'Ugh !-ugh !-ugh !-umph !-umph !-umph !' 

'That was a bear sure this time for that's the way 
they talk to themselves when they are out looking 
for children to eat,' thought the little boy, so he ran 
just as hard as he could until he came to a big 
tree and then he tried to climb it but his legs were 
too fat so he run 'round and 'round it so that the 
old bear would get dizzy looking at him and fall 
over dead. But the more he ran, the nearer the 
'umph' sounds came and soon they were all around 
him and he thought there must be hundreds of 
bears after him all coming nearer and nearer and 
just as his legs was getting too tired to run 'round 
the tree any more he saw a big hole in it right over 
his head and he got hold of the edge of the hole 
and pulled himself up. He gave a good pull, 'cause 
he was scared and the 'Umphs ! Umphs !' were com- 
ing nearer and nearer and when he got his legs up he 
just dropped in quick-like and fell in the hole all in a 
heap. He struck something soft like a rat but it 
was only a squirrel and the little squirrel said to 
him, 'Who are you that drops into my house with- 
out knocking and nearly smashes me?' And the 
little boy said, T am only a little boy trying to get away from the bears that are 
chasing me.' 'Bears, did you say? Why you little scare-cat! There haven't been any 
bears in these woods for years and years.' 'Yes, there have. Listen and you can hear 
them now, outside of the tree saying "Ugh ! ugh! ugh!"' T'll go up and look out,' 
said the squirrel, and when he looked out he saw four, five, six, nine pigs. This made 
him laugh so that he fell back in the hole and the little boy said, 'Did they push you 
back?' 'No, you little silly! Your bears are only pigs,' said the squirrel. 

"Then the little boy felt very much ashamed and picked up his gun and went 
home. There now% Ann Elizabeth, the 'ughs' won't catch you, so let go of my neck and 
sit down. Alice Roselia, it's vour turn to tell a storv." 




ANN ELIZABETH YOUNG. 



178 FRANCES AND THE IRREPRESSIBLES 

"I know lots and lots of stories." 

"Well go ahead and tell one then," said Graveraet. 

"I forget them now. I only know them when I'm at home. 

"Oh, dat amn't fair. Oo will have to 'member one, Alice Roselia, or oo tan't 
be in our club. Dis is a stor_y-tellin' . club like Munny and the dirls have, and oo 
must tell a story or do sit by oorself outside de spring-house," said Dorothy. 

"No, I won't go sit outside of the spring-house," replied Alice Roselia. I'm going 
to stay right here and remember one pretty soon." 

"Vely well, den. Oo fink of one while Wobert tells his story," said Dorothy. 
"Wobert, oo begin while Alice Roselia finks hers out of her head." 

"I'll tell oo why there ain't any eletants in America. Once there was an eletant 
dat thought he'd come to America and he was the nicest eletant that ebber growed, 
'cause him had four tails more than any other eletant ebber had. He had one each 
corner of hisself, besides his little homely tail at the back." 

"Oh, he didn't have four tails !" cried Alice Roselia. 

"Yes, he did, 'cause didn't I tell oo he had four more tails than any other ele- 
tant." 

"What did he have so many for?" asked Graveraet. 

"To brush off the flies from his big legs, 'cause his little snippy tail at the back 
wouldn't reach them. Well, this eletant thought he would like to travel so he packed 
his trunk. First he put in one, two, three, four, rubber shoes so he wouldn't get 
his feet wet when the grass was wet. Den he put in a bottle of medicine, case 
he get a snake bite. Den he stop and put on a pink 'squito net so the 'squitoes 
couldn't get at him where his tails wouldn't reach to brush them off. Den he put on 
a stove-pipe hat 'cause he 'spected to go to some city and he wanted to look dressed 
when he walked down the street some Sunday morning. After he was dressed he put 
in some big green leaves to use as pocket handkerchiefs and shut his trunk and 
walked off, flopping his ears for 'good-bye.' 

"Well ! he walked and walked and walked until he was so tired and hungry he 
didn't know what to do and still he didn't see any sign of a city, and he would have 
gone back home but he was afraid his brothers and sisters would make fun of him 
and call out, T told you you would get scared and come back.' So he kept on a 
little longer for he thought he saw a tree with some fruit on it but when he got 
there and put up his trunk to pick it off a great big tiger growled at him from the limbs 
and told him to be off or he would eat him. This scared the eletant so he ran off 
until he came to a river and he ran right in, never stopping to think he might get 



AT BUENA VISTA FARM 179 

his 'squito net and his silk hat wet. But he was so tired and thirsty anyway that 
he didn't care. 

"But somefing awful happened when he got in the water and was going to take 
a drink. A great big crocodile stuck his head out of the wiater and said, 'Here, you big 
beast! get out of this. We can't give you any water. We want it all for ourselves. 
You are so big you might drink the river dry.' 

"This made the eletant very angry and he filled his trunk with water to squirt 
on the crocodile and spoilt all his clothes in it, 'cause he had forgot his clothes were 
packed there. You see it was easy to forget 'cause he had never traveled before. 
When he found what he had done, it made him as mad as mad and he pitched into 
that crocodile and they had a drefful fight. First he spit his four rubber shoes at 
him. Then he hit him in the eye with his bottle of snake-bite medicine. And then 
he jump all over him and the crocodile switch his tail and open his jaws wider and 
wider and shut them quick so he could see how many big white teeth he had and 
how he was going to snap him in two. 

"Well, they fighted and fighted until the eletant most killed the crocodile and then 
he run home, 'cause he didn't care to travel after he had spoiled all his clothes and 
the crocodile had swallowed his snake-bite medicine. And that is why there ain't 
any eletants in America, 'cause the first eletant that started to come got tired and went 
back home, and that's all." 

"Say, Wobert. No jokin'. Is dat really and truly why dere amn't any eletants in 
America?" asked Dorothy. 

"Yes it is, sure enough, the reason why." 

Toot ! toot ! toot ! went the dinner horn and the little midgets slipped off the seats 
and ran toward the house quite forgetting that Alice Roselia had not told her 
story. 



Chapter 24. 

ARE THE BOYS DROWNED? 



WHAT do you say to our going for a trolley-car ride out to Lake Winnebago 
and' then having a sail when we get there?" said Munro to the boys, 
who were all in Fond du Lac with him one day. 

"Come ahead. It is just the day for a sail," said Regis. 
As for the rest, they were always ready to go on the water, good 
weather or bad. 
So they started and in a short time had reached the lake and hired a sail- 
boat, which took them skimming over the blue rippling waters as happy as a lot of 
sea-gulls. 

"Well ! Here is a pretty how-de-do," said Munro, as, in adjusting one of the 
ropes of the sail, he saw the iron pin that fastened it to the boat, fall out. "This 
boat is as rotten as an old tub. 'Tis a good thing we have a steady wind instead 
of puffs and squalls, or I am afraid we would find ourselves wet ducks." 

"You are right," said Caryl. "The people in Fond du Lac say this is a very 
treacherous lake to sail on and that the water is so shallow it blows from one end of 
the lake to the other, leaving scarcely any water at the end from which the wind 
blows." 

They had sailed for about an hour, tacking back and forth, when Regis made 
the remark that if they did not sail in soon they \vould have to walk or swim to get 
ashore for the old boat was literally falling to pieces under them. Chancing to look 
at the western sky, they perceived a huge, black, threatening cloud traveling fast in 
their direction, while they could already feel the cool, damp air that precedes rain- 
clouds. 

"Gee, whiz!" exclaimed Munro. "Did you ever see such a change? I 
guess the old lake is going to live up to its reputation for sudden storms." 

"Look out now, Caryl ! You will get washed overboard if you are not careful," 
called Regis, as a big v/ave rolled over the side of the boat. 

i8o 



AT BUENA VISTA FARM 



i«i 



"Turn her into the wind, Munro. DL:nder and bhxen ! There goes our rudder !" 
cried Arthur, who was sitting in the stern. 

Three minutes later the mast and sails were torn away and they were at the 
mercy of the wind and waves. They were tossed high and low on the rolling, white- 
capped billows, while the wind screamed in their ears and tried to freeze them with 
its cold blasts. At the same time, the thunder rolled and the lightning flashed. Ahead 
of them loomed a high clay cliff with sides as smooth as if cut off with a plane, 
against which the waves dashed with fury, sending the spray high in the air. 
Nearer and nearer their frail egg-shell of a boat was carrying them. All saw the 
danger, but not a boy showed the white feather for each was made of sterner stuff ; 
so all sat still and watched with strained eyes and bated breath, awaiting what they 
thought was certain death. 

At last IMunro spoke: "We can't swim against the force of these waves and 
probably our brains will be dashed out against that precipice, but I say, let's all die 
game and at least make one effort to save ourselves. There is a life-preserver under 
that seat. Caryl, you are the smallest and youngest, though one of the best swim- 
mers, so you must take that, while the rest of us will tie some boards around our 
waists with some of these old ropes and they will keep us up until the storm goes 
down and we can swim past this cliff and get in shore w^here it is lower." 

Before they had time to carry out this plan, however, their boat was hfted by 
a big wave and carried swiftly and surely toward the cliff. Higher and higher 
rolled the waters until the waves seemed mountain high. With a last sweep they 
dashed the boat against the cHff and then receded, but without their prev of a cockle- 
shell boat and boys, for strange as it may seem, just where the waves had struck 
the precipice was a flat plateau some twenty feet broad and thirty feet long and on 
this the boat was landed, being thrown so far that when the waves receded, they 
left it high and dry. Apparently the boys were httle better off than before for 
above and around them loomed the smooth, yellow sides of the cliff without an open- 
ing in them, while below roared the angry waves. 

For several minutes they sat motionless and mute, too dumfounded to move or 
speak. Then all seemed to recover themselves at once and they got out of their 
cramped positions in the bottom of the old boat and commenced to look about them 
for a safer place in case the waves should rise and wash them off again. All they 
saw was a big pile of lumber and a dead pine tree or two that had fallen over 
the cliff when its foothold had been washed away by storms similar to this one. 



i82 FRANCES AND THE IRREPRESSIBLES 

"Well ! anyway, we can build a fire out of this wood and get warm and dry our 
clothes," said Munro. 

"Yes, if we can find a match," answered Regis. 

"Never mind if we can't. We can strike a fire from some flint. Even if we 
had matches they would be soaking wet and good for nothing now," said Caryl. 

They approached the pile of debris that lay close by, picking up as they went 
such stones as they thought they might strike sparks from. What was their surprise, 
on pulling away a few boards and some bushes, to find the opening of a large cave. 
At first they could not believe their eyes, but before many minutes they fell to drag- 
ging and pulling away the rubbish so they could get nearer the entrance. At last 
they stood before it, hesitating to enter, for all was still and dark within and a cold, 
damp air came from the opening. 

"Oh, for a lantern !" said William. 

"As we haven't a lantern, let's do the next best thing. Let's get a torch. We 
must look for some dry wood to make it from," said Champlain. 

"Yes, and this drift-wood should make the best kind of torches," said Arthur. 

"All the wood out here is wet, so we will have to go in the cave a ways to see 
if we cannot find some dry stuff in there," said Munro. 

They cautiously went inside, feeling their way as best they could in the dark and 
pushing their • feet out in hopes of finding som.ething which they could light. They 
were all scared as they groped along and no one could blame them, for it was most 
gruesome in the dark of this unexplored cave, and you must remember, too, that the 
eldest was not fifteen years old yet. 

"Te whit, Te whit, Te whoo-o ! and an old owl flew by with a cave-rat in its 
mouth. It grew darker and darker and away on in the distance could be heard the 
trickle of falling water and the sound as of many hundreds of wings fluttering here 
and there about them. At last Munro struck something and on bending to see what 
it was, he discovered a long, slender piece of pine and at the same time Regis 
stumbled over a whole bundle of pine knots. 

"Here is just the thing we want !" exclaimed Munro. "We will build a fire and 
light up the cave so we can see where we are going and then we can light some 
torches and explore farther before they go out." 

"Eureka! I have found some matches in my pocket. I did not know that I 
had one," cried Regis. 

"For goodness' sake! be careful when you strike one, don't break its head ofif," 
said Champlain. 



AT BUENA VISTA FARM 183 

"Wait until I get some paper for you to light first," said Caryl. "Haven't 
you fellows some letters or pieces of newspaper in your pockets that we could 
use ?" 

"I have no paper," said Regis. "My best girl don't write." 

"You would joke if you were dying, Regis, I believe." 

"Sure, Mike, I believe I would !" 

"Here, take my handkerchief and set fire to it. It will burn just as well as 
paper," said Billy. 

Sure enough it did, and in a short time they had a glorious fire which lit up the 
cave as far as they could see. They found they were in a large, circular room with 
passages opening off from it in several directions. What surprised them most was 
that the place where they had built their fire, they discovered had been used before as a 
fireplace, for there were ashes and a huge pile of wood all ready to be burned beside 
it. By the light of the fire they discovered torches stuck in holders along the walls 
at regular intervals and they also found something else which did not please them, 
and this was that from the ceiling and walls hung numerous bats clinging to each 
other like great bunches of rotten bananas. 

"Ugh ! How I hate bats !" said Regis. 

"So do I," said Munro. 

"Pull your hats down close over your ears so they can't get in your hair," said 
Caryl. 

"The light has stunned them but they will soon be flying around us," said 
Arthur. 

"Let's put some more pine knots on the fire and then explore a little farther. 
I am curious to see where this passageway leads to," suggested Champlain. 

The other boys were of the same mind so each took a torch from its holder on 
the wall and began to minutely inspect the lofty chamber they were in. 

In the first place they found a lovely stream of cold water which came out of a 
side wall and flowed into a white stone basin hewn out of the rock beneath 
it. Close beside it they found all kinds of Indian cooking utensils, which ex- 
plained who had built the fires here before. Probably some Indian tribe (perhaps the 
Winnebagoes) had used this as a hiding-place for themselves and their plunder. The 
more they explored, the more were they convinced that their surmise was correct, for 
they found piles upon piles of valuable skins all cured and m perfect condition, while 
in a large chamber just ofif from the one they had first entered, they found the walls 
painted with war scenes and above these hung cured moose heads, deer heads, 



i84 FRANCES AND THE IRREPRESSIBLES 

buffalo heads, and huge antlers without number, also bundles of arrows and bows 
artistically arranged on the walls. In one corner of this room they found suits for 
squaws and braves, all embroidered most profusely with colored beads ; strings upon 
strings of elks' teeth to be used as necklaces, and head-gear made of eagles' feathers. 
In fact, not a thing was lacking to make up a perfect Indian costume from the moccasins 
to the feathered head-dress. 

This large, circular chamber could be entered from eight different directions, 
each entrance leading into a wide passage high enough for two horsemen to ride 
through abreast. These led into the mountains but just how far they extended or just 
where they could not guess. All of these could be explored at leisure. Over the entrances 
hung red Indian blankets. Had an artist planned and decorated the rooms they 
could not have been more tastefully arranged than they had been by these wild 
Indians. 

Of course, the children were wild over their find and crazy to still further in- 
vestigate the passages. They were debating which one to enter first when Munro 
said: "Here is a dark blue curtain we have not looked behind. Come, let's pull it 
aside and see what is here." 

"Everything has been so fine so far, it's about time we found something horrible 
to spoil it all, just as they always do in story books," said Caryl. 

"Get your clubs ready, kids," said Billy, "and if there is an old dragon hiding 
behind the curtain we will punch its head." 

"Oh, yes, I see you," said Art. "If there was one hiding here it would spit fire at 
you before you could wink." 

"Well, all stand in a line facing the curtain with clubs raised, for when I count 
three I am going to pull it back," said Munro. "One, two, three !" he called in deep 
guttural tones and at the echo of "three" he drew the curtain aside and, lo, instead 
of a fiery dragon confronting them they saw a smooth, narrow flight of block steps 
hewn out of the solid rock. 

"Now, where in the dickens do you suppose these steps lead to?" asked 
Munro. 

"Who is going up first?" asked Billy, for there was only room for one to 
squeeze up at a time, the steps were so narrow. 

"That is an honor I won't dispute with any of you," said Art. "Not because 
I am afraid, but because I am so fat I fear I might get stuck fast and so deprive 
the rest of you of the pleasure of going up, unless you went over my dead body." 

"Oh, get out and stop your talking," said Billy. 



AT BUENA VISTA FARM 185 

'T say we draw cuts to see who goes first," said Champlain. 

"Yes, that will be fair," said Munro. 

"Here are the straws. Now draw," said Regis, "and the one that gets the longest 
has to go first." 

They drew and Munro got the longest, so had to go first. 

"Catch my head if it gets cut off when I stick it above the landing, and carry 
it home as a souvenir," laughed Munro as he commenced to climb the stairs. 

The first flight being only a short one, he was soon at the top and with a wild 
war whoop he called them to follow him, saying there was nothing more dangerous 
here than another big empty room like the chamber beneath, and that this one had 
been used as a stable for horses. There were heaps of saddle blankets, bridles, and 
such things scattered about, while from one side an inclined walk or drive led right 
up to the top of the mountain, for they could see sunlight at the other end flickering 
through a pile of brush that had been thrown over the opening to conceal it. 

"Gee ! boys, but this is the dandiest cave any one ever found to come and live in 
for solid fun." 

"Yes, and I for one say let's go home, get the rest of the Irrepressibles and 
come back to camp here for a week, turning ourselves into Indians by painting and 
dressing up in the suits they have left." 

"Capital idea ! Great head ! You are all right, IMunro," said Regis. "That is 
just what we will do." 

"Well, I don't know as I care to dress myself up in those clothes," said 
Art. 

"Oh, pshaw!" said Champlain. They have been well aired all these years and I 
guess they will be all right." 

"I guess we had better see if we ever get home before we plan to come back," said 
the philosophical Art. 

"We will get back all right, don't you fear," said Munro, "now that we can see day- 
light ahead of us." 

"Come up, come up," called Regis, who had climbed to the top of the incline. 
"See where we are !" 

"By the jumping jingoes! if that isn't Fond du Lac!" exclaimed Billy, when 
he had crawled from under the heap of brush at the entrance and stood on a big 
rock on top of the mountain, surveying the surrounding country. 

"I am going to climb this big pine tree here, which, by the way, the Indians 



1 86 



FRANCES AND THE IRREPRESSIBLES 



must have used for the same purpose, for there are pegs driven in for a ladder 
wrhere the limbs are too far apart to reach," said Munro. 

Up he went, followed by the other boys, and when near the top they had a 
most beautiful view of the surrounding country. This pine 
was taller, by many feet, than any other tree in that part 
of the country, besides it grew on the highest peak of the 
chain of bluffs. At their feet lay Lake Winnebago, with 
the chimneys of Oskkosh looming above the waters on the 
opposite side of the lake to the northwest, while, at the 
extreme end of the lake to the south, lay Fond du Lac, not 
twenty miles away. To the east were woods and farms 
with farmhouses dotting the country here and there. 

"Well, we are in luck," said Munro, "for there is a 
farmhouse not a mile away and we can go there and get 
something to eat and see if they won't drive us home. If 
they can't, we can tramp it, if worst comes to worst," 

"I hope it won't come then," said Art, who hated to walk. 
"Now I am going to tie my handkerchief on the top 
of this tree so we can see it and find our way back to this 
place while we go over to that farmhouse, for I wager you 
the people around here know nothing about this cave. If 
they did, it would have been despoiled of its treasures 
long ago," said Munro. 
"I should say so!" exclaimed the boys. 

"We will keep this place a secret from every one but the Irrepressibles, and any 
one else we show it to must be bound to secrecy and blindfolded before being brought 
to it," continued Munro. 

"That is right and we all agree to keep it." 

"When we are here we will play we are a tribe of Winnebago Indians and when 
on the farm we will still be the Irrepressibles," continued Munro. 

"Say, come on down. I am getting awfully hungry," said Regis. 
"So am I," "And I," "And I," they all exclaimed. 

"Now we will go over to the farmhouse and tell the farmer how we got 
wrecked last night and that we have been wandering around ever since, trying to 
find a place to get something to eat and Some one to take us home. We must not 
breathe a word about the cave though," cautioned Munro. 




top of bluff near 
cavf;. 



AT BUENA VISTA FARM 187 

"Yes, but how are you going to explain how we got off the steep place where the 
boat landed us?" asked Art. 

"We will never peep about that but let on that our boat was dashed to pieces at 
the edge of the cliff where the bank is low and that it washed away and left us to 
climb up the wooded side of the bluff," said Billy. 

By this time they were all down out of the tree, which they said they were 
going to call the Watch Tower, and had started on their walk for the farmhouse. 
Presently they came out on a road that led them directly to it and in answer to 
a knock at the door, a kind-faced German woman opened the door and threw up 
her hands in dismay at the sight of the ragged, hatless boys. 

Soon their story was told and it was listened to with many exclamations of 
"Auch !" and "Gott in Himmel !" as she sympathized with them in their awful plight 
as the boat bore them nearer and nearer the dangerous cliffs. 

As her dinner was about ready, she told them to sit right down and not wait 
for her husband, as she knew they must be nearly starved, adding that it was -a good 
thing she was having dinner earlier that day. Her husband was going to Fond du 
Lac with a load of potatoes and now he could take them right along with him. The 
way she heaped their plates with corned beef, cabbage and beans would at any other 
time have spoiled Champ's and Art's appetites as they were dainty eaters, but to-day 
they all felt that she could not pile them too high and they fell to eating like tramps. 
On top of all this she pressed them to eat pickles and pie and to drink strong black 
coffee and milk until they thought they would surely burst. Then filling their pockets 
with nuts she bade them good-bye as her husband drove them off on top of his 
wagon-load of potatoes. 




Chapter 25. 



THE BOYS' SAFE RETURN. 



w 



HILE Mr. Schnipps, the farmer, is driving the boys to Fond du Lac, we 
will see what excitement was caused at the farm because of their non- 
appearance. 

When the storm began to gather in the west, Estelle and Deborah 
commenced to worry and to wonder why the boys did not come home. As 
it drew nearer and began to thunder and lighten, their anxiety in- 
creased and Estelle stood for hours at an upper window that commanded a view of 

the road. Here she waited 
for the first glimpse of 
them, but no boys came. 
Wagons and carriages 
passed but no boys jumped 
from tliem. 

"Don't worry so. Miss 
Estelle. The boys have 
probably decided to stay in 
town until the shower is 
over,'' said Deborah, trying 
to cheer her, although at 
the same time she was wor- 
ried almost sick herself. 

"They must certainly 
have done something of the 
kind or they would have 
been here before this," answered Estelle. "Or they may have gone into some farm- 
house on the way ; but just the same, I wish they would come for the thunder and 




THE GRATK IN THE UVING-ROOM. 



AT BUENA VISTA FARM 189 

lightning is something terrible. Oh, gracious ! See, Deborah ! the lightning has 
struck a tree by the roadside and split it from top to bottom !" 

"Yes, I see," answered Deborah, "and you must come away from the window, 
dear, or you may get struck yourself and you know the old saying, 'a watched pot 
never boils.' " 

"Just as soon as the storm is over I am going to telephone to Fond du Lac to see 
if they are there." 

"Oh, sister, sister! where do you suppose the boys are?" exclaimed Frances, 
bursting into the room. "I am so afraid they have got struck by lightning. Did you 
know that the large oak beside the road has been struck? and just hear that clap now ! 
I know some one's house or barn was struck then." 

"Debba ! Debba! Ise so "fraid," cried Dorothy, running into the room. "I 
want 00 to trawl under de bed wiv me and stay until it stops sunderin'. Big shissy 
and little shissy must tome too else dey'll det deir heads knocked off by de sun- 
der." 

Fiercer and fiercer grew the storm. Louder and louder boomed the thunder, 
until it seemed as if the angels were having a pitched battle up in the clouds. 

"Shissy, 00 better tome under de bed until Dod dets over havin' a tantrum 
and kickin' sings 'round, 'cause He might see 00 lookin' at Him and det mad. Him 
don't like peoples to look when Him's fusssin' 'round, kickin' snow cloud mountains 
over, does Him, Debba?" 

"God is not angry when it thunders, little sister," answered Estelle. "He never 
gets angry, because it is wrong to get angry and God never does anything wrong." 

"Yes, Him does ! Him dets awful mad and picks up houses and frows um over 
de trees, and pours water in de ribers and makes um spill over and Him drowns 
seeps and dogs and everysing. I know 'cause I • seen um floatin' down in de riber, 
after a storm like dis. And I saw a chicken toop floatin' on de water and a rooster 
sittin' on top. You tan ask papa if I didn't." 

"I know what you are talking about now. You mean the time we were coming 
home from California and the Mississippi had overflowed its banks and you saw all 
those things floating along when we crossed the railroad bridge." 

"Yes, dat is what I mean. Shissy, do 00 sink Him will pick up dis house and 
dump us in de lake?" 

"My dear, don't be afraid. Come- out from under the bed and sit on shissy's 
lap.'' 

"No, Ise doin' to stay here wiv my finders in my ears. Debba, 00 tome under de 



I90 FRANCES AND THE IRREPRESSIBLES 

bed and bring me Rosy and Pinky, 'cause dey is drefful 'fraid of sunder and dey want 
to be wiv deir muzzer." 

While this conversation was going on, the boys were being driven towards the 
chff and it was a blessing that the home folks could not see through space and know 
what was happening to their loved ones. All night long, Estelle, Deborah, Miss Amelia 
and Miss Elizabeth sat up, waiting for the boys' return ; holding their breath whenever 
the sound of wheels was heard, but each time were disappointed. As soon as it stopped 
thundering, they telephoned to the hotel in town and to all the drugstores, but could 
get no news of the absent ones. Then they concluded they must have stopped at one 
of the farmhouses and, as the storm did not abate, had decided to stay all night. 

The last thing Dorothy said as she went to bed was, "Ise don't want Botsford to 
det drowned 'cause Ise goin' to marry him when I det drowed up and he is doin' to 
be Rosy's and Pinky's papa and we is doin' to live in a cute 'ittle house in our back 
yard, wiv flowers all 'round it and a canary bird in de window." And then at the 
prospect of this pleasant picture being spoiled, she rolled over on her face and began 
to cry. 

"There, there, dearie, don't cry," cooed Deborah. "Botsford won't get drowned." 

"Oo don't know nuffin 'bout it, Debba, 'cause oo amn't dere! Don't oo 'member 
dere's a stream between here and Fond du Lac and maybe Dod will turn it into a 
big riber like de one we trossed and Botsford may fall in and come fioatin' by dis house 
along wiv de 'ittle drowned chickens and pigs !" Her grief was real, but Deborah had 
to smile at some of the funny things she imagined might happen to the boys. 

At daylight, Miss Amelia and Miss Elizabeth, Estelle and Frances, all started for 
Fond du Lac to look for the missing boys. They stopped at every farmhouse on the 
way and inquired if any boys were there or if they had seen any pass, but they always 
met with the same discouraging answer, "No." At last they reached Fond du Lac, 
where they inquired at all the hotels and principal stores, but with the same result, 
and were getting thoroughly 'alarmed when at last a man said he knew the boys and 
had seen them, early in the afternoon, take a car for the lake. 

"Great heavens !" exclaimed Miss Amelia. "Then they have gone sailing and have 
been drowned !" 

This fear was in every heart as they drove as fast as they could toward the lake. 
Arriving there, the sleepy fishermen were just getting out their boat to go fishing when 
Miss Elizabeth stopped the horses and asked if they had seen the boys around there 
yesterday before the storm. 

"Yes, mum. I did and I am powerful 'fraid they got drowned, for they rented 



AT BUENA VISTA FARM ' 191 

an old sailboat of me and went for a sail and I haven't seen or heard anything of them 
since." 

"Then why in the name of all that is sensible didn't you give the alarm and send 
a relief boat out for them?" 

"It wouldn't have done any good, mum, 'cause no boat could live in such a storm, 
let alone an old rotten tub like the one they had." 

"You are a wicked old man to rent them such an unsafe boat and I shall see that 
you are punished for it !" exclaimed Estelle with flashing eyes. 

"Now, you get out every boat you have and go and search for them,'' said Miss 
Elizabeth, "while we will also send out someone to look for them. You are a stupid 
old heathen, and you have not heard the last of this, yet." 

Estelle and Frances were locked in each other's arms crying as if their hearts 
would break, picturing in their minds their beloved Munro's body floating in the water 
with his dead companions, when their crying was stopped in a hurry by hearing Miss 
Amelia exclaim : 

"Can I believe my eyes? There are the boys on top of that farmer's wagon com- 
ing down the road," and for the next few minutes there was a great deal of hug- 
ging, kissing, questioning, and rejoicing at their safe return. Soon they had all 
climbed into Miss Amelia's buckboard and, after thanking the farmer for his kindness 
and leaving in his hand more money than he would get for his potatoes, yes, for ten 
such loads, they drove home. 

That night there was general rejoicing at the Buena Vista Farm for the boys' nar- 
row escape and it was celebrated by a molasses-pull followed by games in the big 
living-room. 





Chapter 26. 

OFF FOR THE CAVE. 

NE gloriously beautiful October day, when the maple leaves were as red 
as if splashed with the heart's blood of some bird and the yellow leaves 
of the aspen quivered in the breeze, the Irrepressibles started for the cave 
of High Cliff, on the shores of Lake Winnebago, where they were to 
camp for two weeks. 

For days before they had been packing to go. In one basket was 
sugar, tea, coffee, rice, salt and pepper. In another potatoes, turnips, carrots and on- 
ions. In another, odds and ends, with coffee-pots and useful cooking utensils, while 
in another were plates, cups and saucers, and table cloths. In dress-suit cases had 
been packed their clean underwear and extra shoes. As for dresses they were going 
to wear the Indian costumes that they had found in the cave as soon as they doffed 
their riding suits. All these baskets and cases were taken to the foot of Lake Win- 
nebago in a wagon, which the boys were going to meet with their sailboat and then take 
the things by water to the cave, as this would save miles and miles of tiresome travel- 
ing over steep, rocky roads. Then they would sail back, leave the boat, and return to 
the cave with the other children on horseback. 

The Irrepressibles certainly made an imposing cavalcade as they rode two by two 
out of the gate, waving good-bye to those standing on the porch to see them off. First 
in order rode Munro and Natalie, next Frances and Caryl, next William and Gwendo- 
lyn, next Champlain and Beatrice, next Regis and Lolita, next Arthur and Eugenea, 
and following on behind came all the dogs that were large enough to travel that far 
without being carried. The small dogs like the poodle, the skye terrier, and Mexican 
were put in big baskets that were strapped to the saddles of the girls that owned them. 
All of the dogs large and small had to go for who ever heard of an Indian encampment 
where there were not lots and lots of them. 

It was half-past nine when they cleared the outskirts of the town after much 
bother with the dogs which persisted in fighting with other dogs, chasing cats, and 
getting in people's way generally. They went on a fast canter in hopes of making 

192 



AT BUENA VISTA FARM 



193 



time on the level road that lay along the lake shore, for they well knew they would 
soon strike hilly, stony roads. They were very anxious to make the cave before 
noon so they could have time to get lunch by one o'clock, for they knew that they would 
be nearly starved before that time, as horseback riding always makes one hungry. 

"Bah ! bah ! bah !" cried some sheep by the roadside. This set Zephyr crazy, and 
he barked and jumped so that at last the lid of his basket flew off and out he jumped 
before Natalie could prevent it and away he ran after the sheep, crawling through the 
wire fence, leaving a handful of his soft, silky hair sticking to the barbs. 

At first the sheep paid no attention to the funny- 
looking little thing, smaller than a lamb, all covered 
with hair like wool. They thought this must be 
some new breed of sheep, probably called the dog- 
sheep because it barked. Thus speculated an old 
ram. while Zephyr was running here and there mak- 
ing a great fuss. Old Mr. Papa Sheep paid no 
attention until Zephyr snapped at one of the little 
lambs and then he thought it was time to interfere. 
As he approached Zephyr, the dog, all tmdaunted, 
flew at him and grabbed a mouthful of wool, which 
he commenced to pull. This familiarity Papa 
Sheep could not stand, beside it always made him 
mad to have his wool pulled, so he turned and 
quietly but forcefully butted little Zephyr skyward. 

"dh ! Oh ! save my dog !" cried Natalie. "That 
naughty old sheep has tossed him up in the air. Here Zephyr ! Zephyr ! Zephyr !" she 
called. 

Munro climbed through the barbed-v/ire fence. The little dog was so dazed he 
didn't know which way to turn after he landed all in a heap from his toss in the air. 
Munro picked him up and put him back in his basket, where he was now quite con- 
tented to remain, and when a big dog came running out from a farmyard to bark at 
the cavalcade, he never opened his mouth. 

For nearly an hour they had been gradually climbing higher and higher, until at 
last they reached the summit of the long range of hills and came out on top of a pre- 
cipitous blufif with one perpendicular side, dropping straight into the lake, and 
directly joining it, on the other side of a deep ravine, loomed High Clifif, the name of the 
particular clifif their cave was in. 




FOXIE, A FOX TERRIER. 



194 



FRANCES AND THE IRREPRESSIBLES 



"My, isn't this a perfectly grand view/' exclaimed Frances, who was passionately 
fond of nature, as she brought her horse to a standstill and gazed across the silvery 
waters of the lake to the purple mist-wrapped hills beyond, and to the shore with its 
many brilliant, ribbon-shaded trees clothed in their autumnal foliage. 

"Don't you just love it?" asked Gwendolyn, who was equally fond of the wild 
woods. 

''And just smell that sweet, spicy odor from the pines and balsams," exclaimed 

Beatrice. 

"Aren't you glad we 
are here instead of cooped 
up in some fashionable 
hotel?" asked Lolita. "I 
get so tired of show and 
fuss. Don't you, Nata- 
lie?" 

"I should think I did. 
I wish we could stay here 
for two months instead of 
two weeks." 

"So do I and never 
go back to school. I wish 
we could stay here until 
the snow comes." 

"Wouldn't it be love- 
ly if we could just breathe 
in knowledge and what 
we have to learn without 
sitting in stuffy school- 
rooms and studying out 
of musty books ! I think we have to know a lot of stuff that isn't any use to a girl. 
I should like to make a bonfire of my books. Who cares when some old fossil of a 
man lived or died or in what year a battle was fought; and if you object to some 
study, some grown up person will say, 'Oh ! you can't see the use of it now, but you 
will later on in life, and you must learn all you can to train your mind !' " 

"Come on," cried the boys. "Don't stop there admiring the view all day, but 
come and take another from our cliff." 




ZEPHYR AND MARIA. 



AT BUENA VISTA FARM 



195 



"Be careful how you guide your horses down that steep path or they will step on 
a loose stone and lame themselves," called Munro across the ravine. 

Presently, all the girls had brought their horses to a halt on the opposite hill and 
were exclaiming over the beauties of the landscape around them, when Frances, chanc- 
ing to look round, asked : 

"Why, where have all the boys gone? They were on their horses just behind us 
only a moment ago." 

The girls turned to look but no boys or horses were in sight and they scanned the 
bushes in all directions, but could see nothing of them. Just then Munro and Cham- 
plain appeared as if they had sprung out of the 
ground itself. 

"Well, what kind of juggler's trick is this? 
Now we see you and now we don't," exclaimed 
Beatrice. 

"All of you shut your eyes and count three and 
we will disappear again and I bet you won't be able 
to find us." 

"All right, go ahead," said Gene. 

They all closed their eyes and counted three, 
then looked at the spot where the boys had been 
standing, but no boys were there. The earth seemed 
to have swallowed them. 

"Did you ever!" exclaimed Gwendolyn. 

"No I never!" replied Natahe. 

"Let's hunt for them." And they commenced 
to ride their horses all over the top of the cliff, 
around clumps of hazel bushes and huge boulders, 
but not a trace of a boy could they see. At last, two 
or three of them got off of their ponies to inspect 
the ground m.ore closely, but still no trace of the 
boys could be found. Then Frances thought of putting the dogs on their scent 

"Good for you, Frances ! They will ferret them out," exclaimed Gene. 

So Frances called her collie to her and led him to the spot where the boys had 
stood and stuck her nose to the earth. "Go find them. Buff," she said. Buff under- 
stood perfectly what she meant, for she was used to playing hide-and-seek with them 
and she thought this was the same kind of a game now. Buff was trained to put her head 



1 


^^H 


1 


1 




















■Pi 


n 


- ^^1 


■^ 




Iff 


■1 


■ 


i 


V 


i^m 


j 



BUFF, FRANCES" COhWE,. 



196 FRANCES AND THE IRREPRESSIBLES 

between her paws and wait for the children to hide and then go and hunt for 
them ; so now when Frances spoke she snuffed around a httle and then ran to a big 
pile of brush and stones and commenced to dig. 

"Here ! here ! we are not hunting rabbits, but boys, and you won't find them 
under there," said Frances. But at that moment the girls heard some boyish voices 
call out : "Here, Buff, stop scratching the door to our hiding-place," and all of the boys 
walked around the brush heap. 

"Come here and we will show the hidden entrance to our cave," they called. 

The girls went over but could see no opening to a cave though they searched 
everywhere. 

"Oh! you are fooling us," cried Lolita. 

"No, we are not. Just look here," called William, lifting a fallen bough and dis- 
closing an inclined passage-way leading to the cave. 

"Well, I never ! Isn't that a dandy hidden entrance !" said Gene. 

"I was looking for something moving on a pivot as they do in fairy stories," 
said Frances. 

"Why, it is wide enough and high enough for our horses to go in two abreast with- 
out touching the top or scratching the sides," said Gwendolyn. 

"This is splendid," said Beatrice, when Chamiplain joined her after carefully clos- 
ing up the opening so no one could find it should they chance along that way. Soon 
they found themselves in the large underground chamber, before described, where the 
horses had evidently been kept. 

"What a nice, comfortable place for the horses this is," said Frances, "and what 
good beds those dried leaves and grasses make for them when they can't have straw." 




Chapter 27. 




LUNCHEON IN THE CAVE. 

ERY soon the girls were all off their horses and ponies helping the boys 
unsaddle, water, and feed them, for they always helped to do ever3'thing 
instead of sitting around helpless and afraid. In every sense of the word 
these boys and girls were comrades and so got on splendidly together. 

After the horses had been watered from a stone trough filled with 
clear, cold spring water that bubbled up at one end of the chamiber, the 
boys led the way down the narrow stairs to the living-rooms of the cave, and you can 
imagine what pleasure it gave them to show the girls all the beautiful skins, Indian 
dresses, bows and arrows, paintings, and the different chambers and passages of the 
cave. When they came to the room where the big iron pot hung over the logs in 
the chimney place and where the dishes were kept, the girls clapped their hands with 
delight and fairly screamed with joy at the prospect of two whole weeks to be spent 
in this ideal place. They could not wait until after luncheon, hungry as they were, 
but changed their clothes immediately for the Indian costumes they found awaiting 
them. When dressed, they danced around in the moccasins and leather leggins with 
the leather fringe down the side, and played high-jinks for awhile before they could 
settle down enough to unpack the boxes and baskets and commence to get luncheon. 
With so many willing hands to help, it was but a short time before the cold chicken, 
baked beans, bread and butter sandwiches, pickles, and sweet cake were on the table, 
and they were only waiting for their coffee and hot baked potatoes before sitting 
down to eat. I can tell you some rich epicurean would have given a thousand dollars 
in cash for their appetites and the ability to enjoy what they ate that day. 

"Ouch ! Gee whillikens ! but that potato was hot !" said Munro, as he dropped a 
baked potato he had just fished out of the ashes on the hearth, and went dancing 
around the room with his fingers in his mouth. 

"Somebody come and help me," cried Gwendolyn. "The bottle with the milk in has 



197 



198 



FRANCES AND THE IRREPRESSIBLES 



got cracked and I am afraid if I lift it, it will fall to pieces and spill all the milk. Bring 
a pan, someone !" 

"Here it is," said Beatrice, sticking a nice, clean tin pan under Gwendolyn's hands 
as she raised the bottle. Her fears were realized for the bottle broke in two and the 
milk all ran into the pan. 

"Well done, girls ! You haven't spilled a drop," said Champlain. 

"Gee whiz ! but this cake tastes 
queer," said Bots. "What is the matter 
with it?" 

"Well, I should think it would taste 
queer ! Someone put the bag with the 
cakes in right against the pickles and all 
the vinegar has soaked out of them into 
the cake." 

"Oh ! see what I have found ! Miss 
Amelia must have put them in as a sur- 
prise," called Natalie, who was kneeling 
beside the basket fishing out things and 
handing them to Lolita, who put them on 
the shelf, while the rest were busy with 
the luncheon. 

"What have you found?" asked the 
boys. 

"Something you like," replied Gene, 
who was first on the spot to see what the 
surprise might be and Natalie held up a 
jar of imported preserved ginger, and a 
bottle of pickled stuffed walnuts. 

"Gee ! but that was nice of Miss 
Amelia," said Bots. 




CARYL, IN INDIAN COSTUME. 



"You bet!" said Art. "I could eat a peck of those pickled nuts." 

"Well, you won't get a chance to have more than one this time," said Billy. 

"Luncheon is ready, come quick, while the coffee is hot and the potatoes are 
mealy," said Munro. 

"Here, Regis! Look what you are doing. You are spilling more cofifee on the 
floor than you are pouring out in the cups " said Champlain. 



AT BUENA VISTA FARM 



199 



"Oh, very well, if you know how to pour it so much better than I do, just take the 
pot and walk around the table and fill those cups while I sit down and eat, as you are 
doing now." 

"No, thank you, my son. I don't want to deprive you of the pleasure," replied 
Champlain. 

"Oh, gracious ! we forgot the sugar," said Gene, jumping up from the table to get 
it. "Here, stop eating my sandwich," she called back, as she saw Art steal a bite 
out of a nice pickle-and-egg sandwich she had just made. 

They all succeeded in making a very good luncheon and washed it down with 
copious draughts of milk and water. 

"There, what do you think we have done!" exclaimed Frances. "We have used 
all the milk and cream and not saved any for supper and breakfast." 

"Oh, what geese we are not to have thought of it," said Beatrice. 

"Never mind a little thing like that," said Regis. "There are lots of cows on the 
farm near by and Billy can step over and milk them whenever we need milk. 

"How about Regis stepping over himself when we need any?" inquired Lolita. 

"There is one for 3^ou to answer," said Billy, laughing. 

"No joking," said Frances, "won't it be fun to go over to the farm and milk one 
of the cows ? The farmer will doubtless think that that particular cow is sick or going 
dry and he will never know why she failed to give him any milk that night." 

"If we have to have milk for supper we had better watch our chance and milk her 
while she is in the pasture up near us, for later in the afternoon cows, while grazing, 
always work toward home," said Munro. 

"Well, who knows how to milk?" asked Art. 

"Any one can milk who tries," said Regis. 

"Indeed, they can't," said Frances. "Some cows are very particular and never 
give down as much milk when a stranger milks as when milked by one they are used 
to." 

"How do you know so much about it?" asked Gene. "Did you ever try to 
milk?" 

"Yes, I have, and got kicked over for my pains." 

"You don't mean it! Tell us how." 

"Three years ago when I was at Buena Vista Farm I coaxed John to let me milk, 
so finally, one evening, he told me I might milk the roan cow, as she was the easiest 
to milk and the most gentle. So I got a little tin pail and a stool and walked up to 
Mrs. Roan, big as life, patted her sides and sat down on the stool. In the first place 



200 FRANCES AND THE IRREPRESSIBLES 

I had an awful time making that old three-legged stool stand up. Then, when at last 
I got it fixed and the pail squeezed between my knees all ready to milk, the cow stepped 
away just out of my reach. I moved up close again and was about to begin when she 
switched her old tail kerswosh across my face, eating all the time as if I were only a 
fly, until I touched her teats and gave them a squeeze as John had told me to do. 
The next thing I knew I was flat on my back on the stable floor, with a big dent in my 
tin pail. John heard her hoofs hit the pail and ran to see what was up. He was 
dreadfully sorry and asked if I was hurt and said he had never in his life known her to 
kick and that I must have squeezed too hard or else my nails must have cut her. He 
could account for it in no other way, unless I had tried to milk her on the wrong 
side. 

" 'On the wrong side ! What do you mean ?' I asked. 

" 'Didn't you know that most cows like to be milked on the right side ?' 

" 'No, I never even heard of such a crazy idea, and what difference can it possibly 
make to them whether milked on the right or on the wrong side? I can't imagine,' I 
said. ) 

" 'Well, it does, Miss Frances,' he said, 'but I can't tell why any more than I can 
tell why one must mount a horse from the left and not from the right side.' " 

"I think Billy, Champlain and I can milk without getting kicked," said Munro. 
"Any way we will try at about four o'clock this afternoon." 

"Who says 'F, to going fishing this afternoon?" he continued. "Talk of going 
to get milk for supper, we might go catch some nice black bass and have them too. 
They would not taste bad, nicely broiled and seasoned and laid in a bed of freshly 
picked water-cress." 

"Say we do! Say we do!" they all exclaimed, and for the next half hour they 
were as busy as bees clearing away the remains of the luncheon and getting ready to 
fish. 

"I don't see," said Billy, "why the Indians and trappers who lived here did not 
cut a path to the lake so that it would be easier to reach." 

"Maybe they did and it washed away or has been overgrown by this time," said 
Regis. 

"I don't mind going down, but it takes a fellow's breath to climb up," said Art, 

"Oh, it will do you good," said Regis. "The cHmb will take oft* some of your 
fat." 

"Has everyone his fishing tackle ready? We are off!" called Champlain. 

Along the cliff they wended their way in single file and had any one seen them 



AT BUENA VISTA FARM 



201 



he would have thought they were a band of Indians from their feathers and beads 
which glistened in the sunlight. 

"Help ! help ! help !" called Frances, after they had been fishing about twenty 
minutes. "Quick, I have a bite and I can't draw it in. He is pulling my line through 
my fingers so that it cuts m}^ hand."' 

Munro and Champlain caught hold of her line as she let go, and sure enough, 
she did have a bite and whatever had hold of the hook was pulling for dear life to get 
away, for it ran the line through their fingers until it made them sting. 

Seeing both boys grab the line, Billy cried, "Look out or you will pull up a big 
snapping turtle." 

"Don't jerk it but keep a steady pull," called Regis. 

"Snap" went the line, and the two boys suddenly sat down. 

"Darn him ! He has bitten the line in two and got away," exclaimed Munro. 

"Let's all fish harder than ever and he may take a nibble at one of the other 
lines," said Billy. 

Not a word was spoken for some minutes though they were all pulling in good- 
sized fish. At any other time they would all have been crazy over what they were 
catching, but since Frances had lost that big bite none of the little ones counted and all 
were intent on recapturing it. Shortly, Arthur who had not had a bite for some time, 
and who was sitting about half asleep, day-dreaming, jumped up suddenly with his pole 
bent nearly double and commenced to pull in his line. 

"I've got him ! I've got him !" called Art, and all the boys came to his assist- 
ance. This time, the fish or whatever was on the line, seemed to give up sooner than 
before and with very little trouble allowed itself to be pulled toward shore. 

"I see it ! I see it !" exclaimed Lolita, who was bending over the water to get 
the first glimpse of what was on the hook. "It is nothing but a great, monster 
turtle !" 

"Oh, fiddlesticks ! I won't pull it in !" cried Art letting go of the line. 

"Yes, come ahead. Do ! Turtle soup is fine," said Billy. 

"So it is," and Art, after his first disappointment at finding a turtle instead of 
a ten-pound fish on his line as he had expected, helped the boys to land the huge 
turtle. 

"Be careful, Gene. Don't go too near. It might snap one of your fingers off," 
said Champlain. 

"How are you going to kill it?" asked Natalie. 



202 



FRANCES AND THE IRREPRESSIBLES 



"Look out! It is sticking its head out of its shell and if you don't look out it 
will walk back into the water before you know it," said Gwendolyn. 

The boys tried hitting its head with a stone when it stuck it out but it was no 
use, it was too quick for them, and its skin was so tough, their stones did not bother 
it in the least. 

"I have it," said Champlain. "We'll wait until it sticks out its head again and 

then one of us will sneak up behind 
and stick a hunting knife in its 
neck. That will kill it instantly and 
will give it less pain than trying 
to smash its. head. I can't bear to 
see an animal, fish or anything alive 
suffer or die a lingering death." 

It took several stabs to kill the 
turtle and it nearly caught Mun- 
ro's finger in its jaw. Had it suc- 
ceeded, it would have never let go 
until its head was severed from its 
body. 

"Would you believe it is four 
o'clock? We must go and milk 
that cow before she goes home," 
said Mtmro. 

Champlain, Munro and Billy 
went to milk, while the rest stayed 
to prepare the turtle for cooking. 
Bots, Regis and Art took oiif the 
top shell and after nicely cleaning 
and washing it, they put the meat 
on it to carry home. 

In the meantime the cow had 
been driven behind a clump of 
bushes, and while Champlain held his hat full of corn to her mouth, Billy and Munro 
succeeded in milking her, but they got only half a pail of milk as she would not let 
it down. Half a pail was better than none, however, although they yearly had 
none after all their trouble, for Billy, who was carrying the pail, stubbed his toe 




THE cow THEY MILKED. 



AT BUENA VISTA FARM 



203 



and spilled almost half of what he had. They came in with the milk just as the rest 
of the Irrepressibles arrived at the top of the cliff, all out of breath from their steep 
climb. The girls proved what good housewives they were going to be by taking 
care of the milk, and it was plain to be seen that they had not watched Miss Amelia 
for months in her dairy for nothing. They poured the milk into two pans and then 
set them in the spring water to keep cool and let the cream rise. 




Chapter 28. 

DOROTHYGETS INTO MORE MISCHIEF. 



T 



HE dust from the heels of the horses that had carried the Irrepressibles 
to camp had scarcely blown away from the road when Dorothy, who 
had been standing with her fingers in her mouth, watching them depart, 
turned quickly to Alice Roselia and said, her face glowing with anim.a- 
tion : "I know what let's do ! We will play Indian too, if dey won't 
take us and we'll dress up dust like Indians. Tome on, Alice Roselia, 
and det Wobert and Graveraet, and we'll det Debba to make a tent for us. No, we 
won't eder! We'll have a tave under de old cottage porch and play it is a really, 
truly tave. Won't dat be fine, Alice Roselia?" and Dorothy leaned over and looked 
into her face so closely that their little noses nearly touched. 

"Yes, that'll be fine," said Alice Roselia, laughing and showing her little pearly teeth. 
And away they ran, hand in hand, to. find the boys who were trying to dam up the 
little stream by the spring. The boys were wet and muddy and had stepped m water 
above their boot tops two or three times so that as they walked one could hear the 
water go slushety-slush inside. This did not trouble them, however. In fact, 
they rather liked it. At first they objected to playing Indian as they were having 
so much fun where they were, but, after a time, they found it would be easier to do 
as Dorothy wanted than to try to get out of doing it, for they had learned by sad 
experience that if Dorothy wanted anything she generally got it sooner or later. 
She never gave up until she had brought about what she had set out to do. As 
soon as they consented to play Indian, she said: 

"Now, firstest, oo must be dressed like Indians. Oo must take ofif all oor tlose 
and tie a 'ittle string 'round oor waists. I'll det Miss Isabeth's Indian moccasins I 
saw hangin' on de wall to put on oor feet for soos. But, where can we det fedders 
for oor hair? Indians always has fedders stuck in deir hair. Ise seen um in a 

204 



AT BUENA VISTA FARM 

picture book. Oh ! I know. I'll do into de chicken yard and det some, 
wight here while Alice Roselia and me run and det some." 

"What you going to dress me in, Dorothy?" asked Alice Roselia. 



20 1; 



Oo stay 




TRYING TO DAM UP THE LITTLE STREAM. 



"Fll dess 00 in oor pettitoat and waist and den stick more chicken fedders in oor 
hair and make 00 an Indian lady." 

Soon the two little mischiefs were in the chicken yard gathering up the feathers 
that had fallen from the chickens. Finally they had their hands full and then they 
ran out of the gate and, of course, forgot to shut it, so all the fowls got out. 

"Ouch ! ouch ! You are pulling my hair, Dorothy !" cried Robert. 

"Stand still, 00 naughty boy. How tan I make 00 Indian if 00 don't let me 
stick fedders in oor hair? Now, see, dey won't stick!" she at last exclaimed in 
disgust as the feathers fell out of Robert's hair as fast as she let go of them. While 
Dorothy was doing this, Alice Roselia was trying to make the feathers stick in Grave- 
raet's hair and she succeeded nicely for his hair was so curly that they stayed in all 
right. 

Dorothy stopped to think for a moment and then she said, "I'll do to de house 



206 



FRANCES AND THE IRREPRESSIBLES 




Al,h THE FOWIvS GOT OUT. 



and det somefing to tie um in wiv," and away she went, but on the way a better 
plan came into her fertile brain. It was no less an idea than for her to put them on 
with some of Estelle's glue with which she used to fasten her dolls' heads on. 

Reaching the house, she slipped in unobserved and 
found the bottle of glue on her sister's writing-desk 
and was back with the children at the spring before 
you could say "Scat." Then she proceeded to pour 
the glue on top of Robert's head until he cried, 
"Dorothy, stop, you are getting it into my eyes !" 

"Oh ! nebber mind. I'll wipe it off, 'cause now 
I's dot nuff and I'll tiss oo and not hurt oo any more, 
Wobert," she said. 

She rubbed her dirty little hand across his face 
to wipe off the glue,' leaving a streak of it mixed with 
dirt across his forehead and down his nose. Then 
she proceeded to put feathers in his hair but alas ! they stuck to her little sticky fingers 
instead and refused to let go. 

"Oh, Alice Roselia ! See dese nassy fedders. Um won't let do of me. Come and 
take um off!" 

Then Alice and Graveraet picked them off her fingers and put the rest of them 
on Robert's head, making it look like a last-year's bird's-nest full of old feathers. 

"My ! don't him look dust like an Indian ?" exclaimed Dorothy, surveying him 
with pride. "I most fordot him must be painted, for Indians always has red on 
deir faces. We haven't dot red so let's put on mud and dat will make him have 
streaks on him's face." Then the little witch streaked his face with soft mud until 
the pretty, clean-faced Robert could not have been recognized by his own mother. 
Having completed Robert's costume, she proceeded to smear the other children's faces 
and her own in like manner, and to undress them also until there stood four cute 
little figures with nothing on the boys but their flannel shirts, while the girls were 
dressed in their waists and petticoats ; all standing with their little toes dug in the 
mud. 

"Now we must run and shoot somefing wiv our bows and arrows," cried 
Dorothy, snatching up a willow switch that was to do service as such. When each 
child had found one they sallied forth in search of game. 

Three minutes later, Robert's mother, sitting in the loggia that commanded a view 
of the chicken yard, spied four nearly nude little children chasing chickens about 



AT BUENA VISTA FARM 207 

the yard and making the most dreadful commotion imaginable, frightening the poor 
fowls so that they were flying up against the high palings, and nearly beating their 
lives out trying to get away from the screaming, romping pack. 

'Tor the love of goodness ! What are those children up to in the chicken-yard ! 
I can't possibly see straight, but it looks as if they had on scarcely any clothes !" 

She hurried off the loggia, calling to Mary, the nurse, as she went. When 
she reached the chicken-yard she nearly had nervous prostration on account of the 
scene that met her gaze. Think of it ! Her little Robert, her only child, all dirty 
and stuck up with glue and mud, and horror of horrors, nearly naked ! 

"Robert, come here this minute !" she called, and like a thunder-storm she came 
upon them darkening all their sun-tinted clouds. 

The nurses of the other children succeeded in getting them washed and cleaned 
up without much trouble because they had no glue on their heads or faces, but 
poor Robert! He had to lie on his back with his head over a steaming basin of water 
to melt and soak out the glue from his hair. Even then a few little hairs stood up 
straight and stiff and it never all came out until they took him to town and had his 
hair cut. 

For the rest of the day the children were kept apart, which was the greatest 
punishment that could have been inflicted, for the time seemed like years to them, and, 
of course, Dorothy got into more mischief as she always did when shut up. Being 
alone seem.ed to stimulate her brain to greater activity and she usually found ways 
of entertaining herself. Along in the afternoon as she was playing on the floor with 
her dolls, and Lady Diana (as they always called her six-month-old sister because 
she was such a dainty little thing) was sitting on the bed surrounded by her playthings, 
as happy as happy could be, the nurse Jennie asked Dorothy if she would watch the 
baby for a minute while she left the room on an errand. Of course, Dorothy con- 
sented for she was proud to have her little sister left in her care. Everything went 
well for quite a while until Lady Diana commenced to fret and in trying to stand up 
on her feet beside Dorothy who had climbed up on the bed, she fell over on her face 
and bumped her nose. This made her cry and Dorothy kissed and hugged her but 
to no purpose for she still continued to cry. 

"Dere, dearie, stop kyin' and I'll det 00 somesing nice," and she slipped off the 
bed and ran from the room, returning in a minute with a little saucer of maple 
syrup. "Now den, stop kyin'. I bring 00 somesing dood 00 nebber tasted afore," 
and she took one of the baby's hands and patted it down in the saucer of syrup. 



208 



FRANCES AND THE IRREPRESSIBLES 



and then stuck the httle fingers in its mouth. This stopped the crying immediately 
and she began crowing. 

"Dere now, didn't I say I'd div oo somesing nice ? Div me oo usser hand," and 
she patted both hands in the syrup. 

Presently the nurse returned and found a sticky though happ)^ baby awaiting her, 
with syrup from ear to ear and all down the front of her dress. 

"Lady Diana kied and I dived her somesing dood and now her is as dood as 
pie." 

"You naughty girl ! Can't any one leave you for a minute ? I am going to tell 
your mamma about you, so I am, and she will give you a whipping." 

"No, her won't. Her don't whip us. Her says whips were not made for 'ittle 
dirls and boys. So dere !" 

Jennie knew this was true and that Mrs. Winton never whipped her children, no 

matter what they did. They were only talked to and 
reasoned with ; bes-ide, Jennie knew if she told on 
Dorothy that she would get herself in trouble as she 
had disobeyed Mrs. Winton's orders that on no account 
was she ever to leave Dorothy alone with the baby. 

"Well, I won't tell on you this time, but you are 
a naughty girl just the same, and I'll tell on you the 
next time." 

"Ise not a naughty dirl ! I was only 'musin' Lady 
Diana. I didn't hurt her. I wouldn't hurt her for 
anysing, 'cause she's my shister and I love her more 
than oo do, 'cause I saw oo shake her one day." 
This was news to Jennie for she did not know that any one had seen her. "I be- 
lieve that child has eyes in the back of her head for she sees everything that is going 
on about her," she thought, and then said aloud : "I had to shake her for she was 
choking." 

"No, her wasn't ! Her was only mad 'cause her didn't want her bonnet 
tied." 

"Dorothy ! Dorothy !" cried Deborah. "Come and go for a walk, and if you want 
to we will go with John after the cows." 

Oh joy ! This would be a treat, and she scampered off with Deborah. When she 
got outside, she found Alice Roselia, Robert and Graveraet with their nurses, petting 




PETTING ONE OF THE COLTS. 



AT BUENA VISTA FARM 



209 



one of the colts, and four happier children you never saw for they were together 
again after being kept apart from each other all the afternoon; besides, it was such 
fun to go for the cows and run behind them on the way home and slap them up when 
they lingered on the way to eat snatches of grass beside the road. 




Chapter 29. 

AT THE FOOT OF THE HIDDEN STAIRS. 



T 



HE children had been at the cave three days and everything- was in fine 
shape for a long camping party. The different chambers of the cave 
had been swept and cleaned thoroughly and the boys had even gone so 
far as to whitewash some of the walls so they would be sweet as well 
as clean, especially since so many bats and owls had lived there. It was 
a great improvement, too, because it helped to make the chambers 
lighter and made the bright Indian blankets and beaded trophies show off to better 
advantage. They had brought lamps from home with reflectors behind them and 
these made all the passages bright as day and they always kept a pine knot fire 
burning to dry out the dampness. The ponies and horses were nicely stabled, and 
twigs kept the entrance hidden as they were going to keep the location of this cave 
a secret from every one. 

One day the boys had another surprise while exploring its depths and this was 
the discovery of a secret flight of stairs leading down to the water's edge. This must 
have proved very useful to the Indians when they came home in their canoes laden 
with game, for otherwise they would have had a long, hard climb up the sides of 
the almost perpendicular cliff. The steps led into deep water but the Indians had dug 
out a wide chamber at the foot of the stairs, which was now filled with rubbish. 

"I wonder what all those old pine boughs are doing there," asked Bots. "Sup- 
pose we clean them out while we are here." 
"Say we do," said Regis. 

"Has any one a match?" inquired Munro. They all felt in their pockets but not a 
single rhatch could be found. 

"Let's pull them out and dump them in the water and see them float away," 
said Billy. 

"Come ahead. We will do it," said Munro. 

2IO 



AT BUENA VISTA FARM 211 

"Gee whillikins ! See what is hidden under here !" called Art, who had taken 
hold of a big bough to drag it to the water. 

"What is it?" they exclaimed, running over to Art. 

"Canoes, by jingo !" exclaimed Champlain. 

"You are fooling," said Billy. 

"No, I am not. Look for yourself!" said Champlain. 

"Well, fellows ! this is a cinch, sure enough," said Munro. 

"How many do you suppose there are?" asked Bots. 

"Let's pull all this rubbish away so that we can see," said Regis. 

"This is a regular Forty-thieves' Cave filled with treasures, isn't it?" said Bots. 

"What do you suppose the girls will say to our find?" asked Munro. 

"Won't their eyes bulge out with surprise when we tell them !" said Champlain. 

"Say, let's keep it as a surprise until we get the canoes in the water and see 
if they are all right and then invite the girls to come for a boat ride. They will 
refuse to come, thinking we are trying to fool them and when they find there are really 
boats here, the joke will be on them," said Art. 

"Capital idea ! We will do it." 

The boys worked like beavers to clear away the brush so they could see how 
many canoes were hidden there. They found five which, with very little fixing, were 
all right. 

"Hello ! What are you doing down there ?" called Frances to Bots, whose head 
she saw sticking out of the opening to the cave as he came to throw an armful of 
brush into the lake. 

"Where in the dickens are you?" called Bots, "I don't see you." 

"Here," called she, waving her handkerchief, and he then saw a little white speck 
at the very top of the cliff. She was lying down on her stomach looking over to 
see how far it was to the lake when she espied Bots. 

"Look out or you will get dizzy and fall over," called Bots. 

"I am coming down. How did you get there I should like to know." 

Bots withdrew his head so that he would not have to answer her question. She 
called and called, but no answer coming, she finally gave up and went back to the cave, 
wondering how in the world Bots got where he was. 

"Now Frances will be on our track, so we had better scoot back as fast as we 
can go before she and all the other girls find our secret stairs." 

Pretty soon the boys came into the dining-room of the cave, whistling and trying 
to look very unconcerned. 



212 



FRANCES AND THE IRREPRESSIBLES 



Eugenea pounced upon them and wanted to know where they had been as she had 
been looking everywhere for them to tell them that dinner was ready. 

At last they got tired of being bothered, and said they had a secret which they 

would not tell her until they got ready. 
Now to let Gene know that you had a secret 
and not share it with her was like shaking 
a red rag at a bull, and she commenced to 
call them "mean old things" and other 
choice names, pretending she was more pro- 
voked than she really was. 

"Well, boys, this is the last day we 
will have meat for dinner unless you go out 
and shoot some game, for we have eaten 
all we brought from home," said Gwen- 
dolyn. 

"I guess if you wait for me to shoot 
some, you will be grey-headed before we 
have any," said Art. "But I will drive to 
Fond du Lac and get some if you want 
me to." 

"No, no, no ! We are going to live 
as the Indians used to, and kill our own 
game and catch our own fish and forage for 
what we want," said Billy. 

"But how are you going to shoot bear 
and deer when there are none?" asked 
Munro. 
"Why ! We are going to shoot squirrels and trap partridges, and if we don't 
succeed in doing that we will go foraging and come home with a fat little pig from 
some farm near by, or a couple of nice fat chickens," said Regis. 
"Yes, and a pumpkin pie or two," added Bots. 
"That would be stealing," said Beatrice. 

"Oh no, it would not," answered Regis, "because we would sneak up to the house 
and stick an envelope under the door with the price of whatever we took in it." 
"Oh ! Regis, you are a schemer sure enough," said Lolita. 
"But what are you going to do if you get caught?" asked Natalie. 




ONE OF the; entrances to the cave. 



AT BUENA VISTA FARM 



213 



"Give him double pay and pacify him with that," said Regis. 

"Yes, and then the old farmer will find out where our cave is and all our fun 
will be spoiled." 

"No, he won't," said Bots, "for we won't come back here, but will pretend we 
live in Fond du Lac." 

"Now, boys, if you can shoot or trap some squirrels, I will make a delicious 
squirrel pot-pie for you, or rabbit if you can't catch a squirrel, as I learned how to 
make one just before we left the farm, I thought we might run out of meat and come 
to eating squirrels," said Gwendolyn. 

"And I will make the dumplings for it," said Natalie. "I can make dandy 
ones." 

"I would just as soon eat cat-pie, said Frances. 

"Oh, Frances, don't speak of it. It makes me sick," said Lolita. 

"What shall I make?" asked Gene. "I know. I'll make some cranberry sauce, 
for, do you know, there is a lovely wild cranberry marsh near here, down in the 
hollow between those two bluffs we climbed over yesterday, and they are just splendid 
and big. Not many of them are ripe yet, but I guess we can get enough for one or two 
meals at least." 




Cbaptet 30. 

THEY ALLGO HUNTING. 



D 



O you know it is nearly two o'clock? We have been poking over our 
dinner so long," said Munro. 

"No. It is because you boys were so late fussing over your old 
secret," answered Natalie. 

"Our old secret. It isn't an old secret, it is a brand new one," said 
Regis. Just found to-day." 
"Well! keep it. No one wants to know what it is," said Frances. 
"That remark shows you do want to know," said Art. "Whenever one says he 
doesn't care to. know I always feel sure that he is dying to know." 

"Well, just wait until we girls get a secret and you will be six of the most in- 
quisitive boys any one ever saw," said Beatrice. 

"Boys, boys, I think you ought to help us wash these dishes. It is all right get- 
ting dinner but I do hate to clear away things afterwards," said Gene. 

"I'll tell you. If you will help us to clean up, we will all help you feed 
the dogs and horses and then gather fresh pine boughs for our beds," said 
Frances. 

"All right. We will do it," said Art and Bots. 

"I'll tell you a better plan: Let those go who would rather feed the ponies and 
gather boughs, and let those who would rather fix things up, stay here," said 
Beatrice. 

214 



AT BUENA VISTA FARM 215 

"That is the best plan yet," said Munro. "Though how are we going to divide 
up?" 

'T am going with you, brother," said Frances, "for I know that you don't like 
to wash dishes, that you would rather chop wood ; so I will carry it." 

Frances, Gwendolyn and Eugenea went, while Natalie, Beatrice, and Lolita de- 
cided to remain. 

"Oh, Champlain ! Are you going ?" said Beatrice. 

"Yes, my dear wife, I am sorry to leave you but it won't be for lone* and I don't 
like to wash dishes." 

"I would go with you but I have to stay and mend my dress. I caught it on a 
bush and nearly tore it off." 

"Munro is going with Frances and not staying with his squaw, this time, but 
it does not matter since she is his only sister and always claims half of his atten- 
tion, never gives him wholly up to me," said Natalie, laughing, 

"Bow-wow-wow !" barked the dogs from the part of the cave where they were 
tied. 

"Oh, hear the poor things! They are nearly famished, I suppose," said Gwen- 
dolyn. 

"Here, take this plate of scraps to them, William," said Frances, handing him a 
heaping lot of bones, potatoes, bread and gravy. 

"I am very glad that we decided to pair off in this way, for it is much better 
than leaving all the girls alone while we are away in the wood searching for boughs, 
for they might get scared," said Munro, as he and Frances climbed the steps leading 
out of the cave. 

"Don't you just love the smell of pine and balsam?" said Frances as they were 
gathering the boughs. "It smells so clean and refreshing I like it as much as I 
dislike the smell of tuberoses. Their odor is so heavy and overpowering. Look, 
Munro, quick! There goes a big rabbit." 

"Gee ! but I wish I had a gun, but that is always the way. One never has one 
when there is anything to shoot." 

"Here comes another," called Frances. 

"Biff ! bang !" and bunny lay dead at their feet. 

"Who fired that shot, I wonder?" asked Munro. 

For answer, from out of a clump of bushes ran Regis with his still-smoking 
gun in his hand 



2l6 



FRANCES AND THE IRREPRESSIBLES 



"Was that you, Regis? I tell you that was a pretty shot!" exclaimed Munro, 
picking up the rabbit and finding that it had been shot through the head. 

"There is a pot-boiler now for you," said Regis. 
"There are hundreds of them up here on this hill. 
Hold on and I will help you carry that load, 
Frances." 

"No. You go and shoot rabbits while you 
have your hand in, and maybe you will kill enough 
for that pot pie Gwendolyn has promised us. There 
are plenty of us to carry wood." 

"There goes another," said Regis. "I saw its 
white cottontail disappear under that pile of brush 
over there. Ta-ta for awhile." 

"Ugh! Here is a poor, dead cat," said 
Gwendolyn, coming up to where the rabbit lay on 
the ground. "I wonder if some one shot it, for we 
heard shots as we came out of the cave." 

"Did you say 'cat'? 



That is no cat. It is a rab- 
bit for your pot pie," said 
Frances. 

"Oh, I never can make 
it after- seeing it this way, 
for it does look too much 
like a cat for anything. I 
have only seen them when 
they were 
skinned and 
cleaned and 
on a platter 
ready to be 
cooked or run- 
ning around 
alive." 

"Never 
mind. You need 




WILLIAM LIBBY AND SCOTT. 



not see this one 



again until it is all fixed ready for cook- 



AT BUENA VISTA FARM 217 

ing," said Munro, "for we have made a rule that every one has to clean and 
prepare for cooking everything he shoots or traps." 

Bang! bang! went two shots in quick succession in the opposite direction from 
which Regis had gone. 

"Hello !" said Munro. "Some one else is out shooting to-day." 

He had scarcely spoken when William's secret whistle was heard commg from 
the direction from which the shot was fired. 

"Why, William must be out shooting also," said Frances. "Come, hurry. 
Let's go to see what he has killed." 

Away they all ran. They soon found him standing on a pile of stones whistling 
to them, with Eugenea sitting at his feet inspecting a dead porcupine. 

"Come quick, and see what a fine looking thing a porcupine is," called Eugenea. 

"What did you shoot, Munro ? We heard your gun go oflf," said William. 

"You didn't hear my gun go off for I didn't bring one out. I thought it 
would be in the way when I went to carry the wood. It was Regis you heard. He 
shot a fine big rabbit and is now chasing another." 

Bang! bang! 

"There goes another shot. I bet he has bagged another," said Munro. 

"Or missed it," said the skeptical Gene. 

"Well, I thought I would carry my gun, for at this time of day we are most 
likely to see lots of squirrels and rabbits, if not other game. They come out of their 
hiding places to eat just before dark and if we did not find any, I was going to 
take the load out of my gun and let Eugenea carry it while I carried the balsam 
boughs." 

"Yes, the mean old thing would not let me carry the gun loaded or try to shoot," 
said Gene in an aggrieved tone. 

"No, I would not, for fear that you might stub your toe and fall, and the gun 
go off and shoot you, or some one else," said William. 

"I would like to see you try to shoot once. Stubby," said Champlain, who now 
spoke for the first time, and they all looked to see where he was, but no one was 
in sight. Presently, they discovered him perched up in a chestnut tree a few feet off, 
eating nuts. 

"Well, I declare," exclaimed Gwendolyn. "How did you get there?" 

"Shinned it up," said Champlain. "I knew it was the only safe place when Billy 
and Gene were out with a gun. Here comes the rest of the band," he continued, 
as, from his high perch, he could see them threading their way through the brush. 



2i8 FRANCES AND THE IRREPRESSIBLES 

"Keep still and don't tell them where I am and when they get under the tree I will 
pelt them with the sharp burs, for fun." 

"My! what good nuts," said Gwendolyn. "They are so juicy and fat." 

"What is the matter, Gene?" asked Frances, running up to her and slapping her 
on the back, as she seemed to be choking. 

"Stop pounding me on the back ! I'm not choking. It's something worse. I 
swallowed a great, big, fat chestnut worm ! Oh, it makes me sick to think of it." 

"Was it nice and juicy?" asked Champlain. 

"Oh, you horrid boy! I am sick enough already without having you add to 
it by making those horrid remarks." 

"Why, where did you come from?" asked Billy, as Beatrice, Lolita and Arthur 
separated the bushes and came in sight. 

"From the cave to be sure," answered Beatrice. "I hope you did not think we 
were going to stay there after we got the things all cleared up. Where is Champlain ?" 
she asked, after glancing about in all directions without seeing him. 

"I should think that you could live a little while without seeing him. I am sure 
he is not such a beauty that you want to look at him all the time," answered Gene. 

"You are his sister and that makes all the difference in the world," said Gwendolyn. 
"Sisters never do appreciate brothers, unless it be Frances, who is a perfect goose over 
hers, as every one knows. "By the way, where has Munro gone?" 

They all looked around, but no Munro was in sight. 

"He is hiding somewhere, I bet," said Art. "Gee ! something stung me on the 
cheek just then." 

"Quick, quick ! Take it away. There is something sticking into my back," 
called Beatrice as one of Champlain's burs struck her. 

"Why, it is a great big chestnut bur !" exclaimed Art. "We must be under a 
chestnut tree," and glancing up to see what kind of a tree it was they were standing 
under, he espied Champlain perched in its boughs, contentedly eating nuts. 

"Oh ! I say, throw some down," said Art. 

"Why, Champlain ! We thought you were off hunting," said Beatrice. 

"Hush ! Listen ! I hear shooting a long way off, and the barking of hounds." 

"Do you? Are they coming our way. If they are I am going to climb a tree, 
for if there is anything I am afraid of it is hounds when they are on a scent for game. 
They always make me think of the blood-hounds they used to chase escaped slaves 
with," said Beatrice. 

"Are you afraid that they will mistake you for a slave?" said Art. 



AT BUENA VISTA FARM 219 

"Yes, I am." 

"Well, don't get excited for I will climb up to the top of the tree to see if I can 
tell which way they are going. I see them and you need not be afraid, for they are 
going off in the opposite direction, followed by some gentlemen on horseback." 

Bang ! bang ! bang ! This time the sound of the gun was much nearer than the 
baying of the hounds. 

"Let's go back to the cave before we get shot," said Gwendolyn. "They might 
not see us, and might aim for some game and shoot us. It is awfully dangerous being 
in the woods like this, for no one expects to find a human being within miles of here." 

"Hush ! I hear the bushes crackling. Some one is coming," said Frances. "Can't 
you see who it is, Champlain ?" 

"No. All I can see is a man's figure running this way, pushing the bushes aside 
as he runs." 

They all kept still for a few seconds, listening to the approaching footsteps and the 
crackling bushes, when to their surprise, Munro appeared with a gun over one shoulder 
and a beautiful red fox over the other. 

"Well, I never !" 

"How did you kill it?" 

"Where did you get the gun?" 

A number of such remarks greeted him on his arrival. 

"You see, while you were all talking, I picked up Billy's gun and quietly stole 
away. I was chasing a big grey squirrel when I heard the barking of some hounds in 
the distance. They came nearer and nearer, and then all of a sudden, as if the game 
they were after had given them the slip, they commenced to bark like they do when 
they are off the scent. Stopping to listen to them, I forgot my squirrel for a minute, 
but what was my surprise to see running by me, not twenty feet away, this beauty, so 
I aimed and fired and as luck would have it, hit him the first shot, and here he is. 
Isn't he a beauty though ? Gee ! but those men that scared him up would be mad if 
they knew that an outsider had their fox. I was afraid the hounds might get on his 
scent again, so ran here as fast as I could. I think you girls had better get back in 
the cave as soon as you can, for the hunters might come this way any minute, and 
it would be hard to explain what so many children were doing out in the woods so late 
in the evening. 

This hint was enough for the girls and they flew back to the cave as fast as they 
could run. 



220 



FRANCES AND THE IRREPRESSIBLES 



"If Regis isn't careful he will run into them," said Lolita. "I wonder if he has 
got anything more than his first rabbit." 

"Oh, goodness gracious me ! while the cat's away the mice will play. There has 
been a skunk around here, right at the entrance to our cave," said Art. 

"He had better stay away or we will trap him and sell his skin," said Gene. 

"Here comes Bots," said Frances. "I hear him whistling. Oh, what have you in 
your bag? It looks full. Why, Caryl and Botsford ! I never knew you were such 
good shots. Come and look in this bag, girls. There are two rabbits, three quail, and 
a prairie chicken. 




Chapter 3X- 

A NIGHT OF ADVENTURE. 

^^S^^^NE evening when the Irrepressibles sat or lolled on the bear skins around ^ 
I £ ^ I the big roaring fire that sent crackling sparks up the chimney, Munro pro- 
t ^w/ J posed that they paint and dress themselves up in their Indian costumes, 
^^^^^y pack their canoes with furs, Indian pottery, bead work, bows, arrows, and 
1^^^^^ other Indian relics that were heaped high in the cave, and paddle up to the 
big summer hotel about four miles farther up the shore, and see if they 
could not sell them to the guests there for a good round sum. If they could, there 
would still be plenty left for all of them to take home, and the proceeds from their sale 
could be added to their bank account that was fast accumulating from the sales of their 
chickens, ducks, eggs, squabs, etc. 

The Irrepressibles all agreed that this was the best plan suggested yet, and pro- 
posed going the very next day. This was just like them, — to plan a thing and then do it 
immediately, never put off until to-morrow what could be done to-day. Instead of 
waiting for a better time, or for something to turn up, they made the time and then 
they had no need to wait for something to help them through. Nothing in life is so 
detrimental to success as the habit so many have of putting off acting, and waiting 
for a better time to begin work. Now is the time to do a thing. Right now in the 
present, before one grows old, or some one else does it. These sentiments Mr. and 
Mrs. Winton instilled into all their children and the rest of the Irrepressibles had 
caught the idea of always being up and doing. 

"Munro, that is a lovely scheme of yours, and if we succeed in carrying it out, we 
will have enough to buy our automobile," said Billy. 

"Mercy, but it will be a terrible job to carry these skins down to the canoes," said 
Frances. 

"You said canoes, but I suppose you meant sail-boats, because there isn't a canoe 
within a hundred miles of here. I'll bet," said Lolita. 

221 



222 FRANCES AND THE IRREPRESSIBLES 

"You bet, do you? Well, I'll take that bet, though ladies should, never gamble," 
said Art, making a wry face. 

"All right ! I'll bet you a peck of red apples, and I will go and pick them myself 
off Farmer Upenstein's tree, by the light of the moon, if you can find a canoe within 
a hundred miles of here. Yes, I will make it easier than that, — within iive miles of 
here," answered Lolita. 

"Hoop-de-do-dill-do ! You have lost, for six canoes are within an eighth of a mile 
of here, and the rest of the boys can prove it. I can already taste those sweet juicy 
apples that you will have to pick by the light of the moon," chuckled Art. 

"Well, I won't take anyone's word for it. I want to see them for myself." 

"It is too dark, now, but I will show them to you in the morning," said Art. 
"Come with me and I will show you where they are kept." 

While talking, he had taken down a lantern from the wall and was lighting it by 
the fire. 

"All ready! follow me, anyone that wants a peep into our secret." 

They all followed, and after making many turns and twists through narrow halls 
and passages, they came to a sharp angle in the wall and here they found a narrow 
opening, leading to a long flight of stone steps whch led to the water. 

"My! but those look scary," said Gene. 

"They look as if they might lead to Blue Beard's chamber," said Gwendolyn. 

"When did you boys find them?" asked Frances. 

"The day you looked over the bluff and saw Caryl throwing brush into the water," 
said Regis. 

"Well! this flight of stairs don't prove that there are any canoes down there," 
said Frances. 

"But there are, just the same," said Art, "and if you don't mind the long climb I 
will take you down and show them to you." 

"No, I thank you. I will take your word for it. Those stairs look too spooky to 
go down in the dark. I'll wait until morning." 

"The men who lived here must have been pretty smart fellows," said Champ, "to 
cut out this secret passage. I believe they were smugglers or robbers, instead of 
Indians, for I can't imagine Indians doing work like this." 

"You are right, Champ. I'll bet this was a robbers' cave, and that the men 
who lived here used to steal furs from the Indians and then hide them here," said Billy. 

"Do you really think robbers instead of Indians hid them here?" asked Caryl. 

"Yes, I do," answered Champ. 



AT BUENA VISTA FARM 



223 



"So do I," said Munro, "for Indians would not go to the trouble of hewing out 
stairs, hallways and chambers, or of making themselves comfortable, as these men seem 
to have done. Neither would the Indians have hung their things on the walls so 
artistically, or draped the openings with blankets." 

"Who knows but what some of the early French settlers, who sailed up the 
St. Lawrence and through the Great Lakes to Green Bay, and then down the river 
that connects Green Bay with Lake Winnebago, and so on, until they arrived here, hid 
themselves in this cave ; and then proceeded to rob the good settlers and Indians that 
lived in Fond du Lac and around the shores of this lake. Madame de Neveu's hus- 
band came to this country with some other wealthy Frenchmen to found a colony. 
He settled on the farm where Madame de Neveu now lives. He soon owned thou- 
sands of acres, which he commenced to lay out as a beautiful park with deer running 
through his preserves and sheep feeding on his green meadows, but alas ! ill luck and 
the thousand and one things that often beset new settlers fell on him so thick and fast 
that he lost heart and pluck, and at last died, a broken hearted and disappointed man." 
"My! what an interesting story, and you told it as if you had read it out of a 
story book, or history," said Billy. 
"Maybe I did. Who knows?" 

"Well, who cares who lived here, Indians or robbers, so that we own it now?" 
said Beatrice. 

"That is so. Who cares ?" they all cried. 
"Gracious sakes alive ! it is nearly nine o'clock. If we 
want to get up early to-morrow morning, we had better go 
to bed as fast as ever we can," said Gwendolyn. 

In twenty minutes, all was still within the cave, all 
sleeping soundly on their fragrant balsam-bough beds, while 
the slowly dying fire threw long shadows on the walls and 
floor. It was just midnight when they were all awakened 
simultaneously by the snorting of a horse. The sound was 
more like a scream than a neigh or whinny. Every eye 
flew open, and every person sat up as if jerked by a string. 
What could be the matter? Why were the horses making 
such a racket ? Again it was repeated, followed by stamping feet and the growling and 
barking of dogs. This caused the boys to jump out of bed with one accord, fly into 
their clothes, grab their guns, and start for the stairs that led to the horses' stable. 
The girls followed with hatchets and tomahav/ks, for if there was going to be a 




NED. REGIS' DOG. 



224 FRANCES AND THE IRREPRESSIBLES 

fight, they were going to be in it, too, and not stay behind, wringing their hands like 
scared cats. The noise and commotion was something awful as they approached the 
room where the horses were. When they arrived, they found there was matter enough 
to cause a commotion for there in the stable were three full-sized bears ! They had 
attacked the horses, which were tied, and the dogs had nearly strangled themselves 
trying to break loose. One horse was badly scratched on his flanks, but he had suc- 
ceeded in kicking the bear in the pit of the stomach, sending him rolling ofif, heels over 
head. That was the sight that met the childrens' eyes as they stuck their heads through 
the opening at the head of the stairs. 

"Bang !" went a gun and Mr. Bruno lay dead, just when he expected to squeeze 
Munro between his front legs. The other bears, instead of trying to attack the boys, 
tried to hide by running behind things, causing a general confusion, for they stirred up 
a terrible dust trying to root under the hay. 

"Shoot into the pile of hay, Billy ! Shoot, and you will hit them !" called Munro, 

"Bang!" went the gun, nearly deafening them, from the concussion in such close 
quarters underground, and all the horses snorted and jerked at their bridles, and one 
broke loose, running out of the cave. This shot hit the bear but did not kill him. It 
only grazed his side and took off a piece of his little stubby tail. Infuriated by the 
pain, he came charging out from under the hay, throwing it in all directions. 

"Jump, girls ! Jump back !" called Caryl. 

The second the bear was clear of the hay and could see where it was, it made a 
charge at Billy, who was nearest it. Billy stood his ground and struck out with the 
butt of his gun, but the bear did not seem to mind the blow in the least and gave a spring, 
knocking Billy flat on his back, giving his head such a whack as it came in contact with 
the hard stone floor that it knocked him senseless ; and the bear would have devoured 
him then and there had not Champ sprung to his rescue and plunged a dagger into 
the bear's heart, when it fell over dead on top of Billy. 

While this was taking place Caryl, Munro, Regis and the girls were unloosening 
the dogs and trying to quiet the horses, that were simply panic stricken by this time, 
plunging and pulling at their halters so that they were likely to break their legs or 
injure themselves. During the commotion, the third bear made his escape, followed 
by the whole pack of barking, yelping dogs, but it did not get far for the dogs scented 
it out just as it was about to climb a tree, and Hero, the big St. Bernard, stood on his 
hindlegs and grabbed the bear just as he was climbing out of reach. He pulled it 
down and after a short, uneven fight, — a pack of dogs to one bear,^they killed it, and 



AT BUENA VISTA FARM 



225 



the children found them standing around its dead body when they came to look for 
them. 

The boys soon pulled Billy from under the body of the dead bear and carried him 
to the watering trough, where the girls had made a bed of blankets. Here they laid 
him, while they bathed his temples and brought him to, which did not take long as 
he was more stunned than hurt, and he soon was himself again with the addition of a 
big lump, the size of a hen's egg, on the back of his head. 

While the girls were working over Billy, Munro and Champ dragged the dead 



bears to their slaughter house, as they 

cave, and then went back and wip ^.^ 

horses could smell it they refus 

the boys had finished this, 

all went together to look for 

loose, and to see what had 

discovered that they had bit 

would be of no use, so 

in and eat it up, as this 

meal, which they were in 

had much meat since com 

dogs were having their 

dren went on to look for the 

have to look far for they 

his own accord, and he turn 

They led him back into the 

dogs to follow, which they did 

along. Soon all was quiet, and 

in their beds, but it took a long 




HERO, THE 
ST. BERNARD, 



called a small dugout outside of the 
ed up the blood, for as long as the 
ed to quiet down. By the time 
Billy was all right, and they 
the horse that had broken 
become of the dogs. They 
ten the bear so that his hide 
they told them to pitch 
would give them a good 
need of, as they had not 
ing to camp. While the 
midnight supper, the chil- 
horse, but they did not 
found him coming back of 
ed out to be Caryl's pony, 
cave and then whistled for the 
lickmg their chops as they ran 
the Irrepressibles were once more 
time to go to sleep after so 



much excitement, and those that did drop off into a doze wished that they had 
stayed awake, for they dreamed of being eaten by bears or torn to pieces by savage 
dogs. 

This night proved to be one of adventures, for along toward daylight they were 
awakened again by the dismal howling of a pack of wolves who had smelt the remains 
of the bear the dogs had left, and were breakfasting on it, while they called to their 
friends to come to the feast. 

Again, the whole crowd got up and dressed, for here would be a great chance to 
secure some wolf skins and get the reward. So, sneaking out of the cave, and creeping 



226 



FRANCES AND THE IRREPRESSIBLES 



along the ground, they were soon close to the wolves, and at a given signal all the boys 
fired at once into the midst of the pack, killing seven at sight, while two limped away 
but a short distance, where another shot from Art's and Caryl's guns finished them. 

"Gee ! but we have had a pleasant, quiet night," said Champ at breakfast the next 
morning. 

"You bet," said Billy, "but it was dandy fun all the same." 
"How is your head, Billy?" asked Regis. "Can you still pick eggs off it?" 
"Yes, and they are hard-boiled at that," replied Billy, feeling the bump on the 
back of his head. 

"I say, let's not go to the hotel to-day, but leave it for to-morrow," said Champ. 
To this sensible suggestion, they agreed, especially as they were all tired out from 
the excitement and sleepless night they had passed. They had an early breakfast, and 
then in the forenoon each took a nap ; so after dinner they were thoroughly rested, and 
they spent the rest of the day in packing their canoes and getting everything ready for 
an early start the next morning. 




Chapter 32. 



SELLING INDIAN RELICS. 




RIGHT and early the next morning, the Irrepressibles were up, and such 

B laughing and joking you never heard as they helped to paint each other 

and stain their skins an Indian red. Art made every one laugh at his 
antics, as he danced around with one side of his face and neck a beautiful 
brownish red, with half moons and straight lines of black on it; while 
the other side was as pink and white as any baby's. 
"Oh, Art ! don't you hate to put that nasty stuff on your skin ?" asked Gene. "I 
am afraid to put it on mine for fear it won't wash off." 

"You need not be the least afraid. It will wash off with clear water. It is not 
like walnut juice that some use to stain their skins. That has to wear off ; but you and 
Beatrice will have a time trying to turn yourselves into Indians, as you are both blondes. 
You will probably have to put a solution of glycerine and burnt cork on your hair to 
make it black, and then braid in strings of beads and red tape to make you look more 
like Indians." 

"No, we know an easier way than that. We are going to fix our head dresses so 
our hair won show, and have only the. feathers, beads and red tape hanging down," 
answered Gene. 

"That is better yet," said Art, "for it is no fun to get the black out of your hair. 
I tried it once, when we had a minstrel show, and the stuff ran down in streaks on my 
face and neck and "clothes and I was a sight." 

"Look at Frances ! Oh, look at Frances !" they all cried as she stepped into the 
room dressed in a complete Pocahontas costume. She wore leather leggins with fringe 
on the outside, a fringed skirt to match that came just below her knees, an elaborately 
embroidered beaded waist and short jacket, and a crown of eagle and hawk feathers. 
Over her shoulders she had strapped a quiver full of arrows while in her hand she car- 
ried the bow, and at her side hung a bead-bag that would have awakened the envy of 
any society queen. 

22^ 



228 



FRANCES AND THE IRREPRESSIBLES 



"Oh, Frances ! you look stunning, and not a person would know but that you 
were an Indian ; you have put the paint and stain on so well;" said Beatrice. 

"Here comes Munro. Gee whillikins ! but you make a good Indian, too ; still I 
believe Billy makes a better one because he is not quite so fat. My idea of an Indian 
is always of a tall, thin person," said Champ. "Just wait until you see me, and you 
will see the exact reproduction of Sitting Bull." 

"Regis, you should he Hiawatha, you make such a good-looking Indian, with that 
red blanket trailing behind you. I'll bet if there were any Indian maidens around, 
they would scratch each other's eyes out over you," said Gwendolyn." 

When they were all dressed, they certainly made a most attractive picture, and 
when they were seated in the canoes, surrounded by the black bear skins, red blankets, 
fancy baskets, bead work and relics, it was a shame 
that no artist was there to paint them. It would 
have been a unique picture, especially if it could 
have been taken just as they emerged from the 
cave : a boy and a girl in each canoe, the boys pad- 
dling and the girls reclining on the skins, with the 
blue waters of the lake in the foreground and the 
high, steep cliff with its overhanging vines in the 
background. 

After an hour's paddle, they came to a long 
pier extending out into the lake, which was used as 
a landing for the little steamers and sail-boats that 
plied between the big hotel on the shore and Fond 
du Lac. For this the Irrepressibles headed their 
canoes, as they wished to sell their wares to the 
guests of the hotel who were walking or lounging about on the pier. 

They had scarcely brought their canoes to a standstill, when they were over- 
whelmed with questions as to where they came from ? what band of Indians they be- 
longed to? and hundreds of other like questions, to all of which they refused to give 
answers. Before they had started, they had all agreed not to talk any more than 
was absolutely necessary, and even then to answer by grunts and gestures, as it 
would be more Indian-like. They tried to look severe and not change the expressions of 
their faces, pretending not to understand what was said around them, and it was great 
fun for some of the criticisms were laughable. They sold everything they had 
brought, even to a long string of fish Caryl had caught, trolling on the way down, 




CARYIv IN ONE OF THE CANOES. 



AT BUENA VISTA FARM 229 

and they went back with empty canoes but full pockets, as they received good prices 
and were paid in cash. 

On their way home they decided to make one more trip and bring the remaining 
articles they wished to sell, and also a canoe of fresh fish, nicely packed in Indian grass 
baskets, trimmed with leaves and red berries to make them look attractive ; also a 
canoe filled with red and yellow apples. They had found an orchard full of lovely 
apples going to waste, as the farm where they grew was for rent and no one lived 
there. Five days after, they made this second trip, as they had planned, and as before, 
sold everything, and the hotel proprietor tried to make a bargain with them to keep 
him supplied with fish and apples, but they pretended they were too stupid to under- 
stand what he was saying to them. They learned, however, that two young men were 
to follow them in a boat to find out where they lived. 

Munro and Champ, under pretext of fixing a fish-net, got their heads together and 
planned how they would give the young men the slip. 

"We will paddle along slowly at first, gradually increasing our speed without their 
noticing what we are up to, then we will go beyond our landing until we come to that 
little cape that juts out into the water. Once around that, we must pull our canoes up 
on the shore in the long grass, and take to the woods on a run, going right straight 
up the cHif ; and in that way we can get out of sight and reach the cave through the 
upper entrance before they land. And when they land, they will find nothing, unless 
it is our canoes, and I doubt if they will be able to see them in among the tall reeds 
and drooping grasses," said Munro. 

These directions were whispered to the paddlers of each canoe, and presently all 
the little crafts were skimming over the waters like so many brown ducks, closely pur- 
sued by a white skifif in which were two stalwart college boys, ostensibly fishing. 

"Say, Dick, do you know those measly little canoes are leaving us behind? I 
had not noticed before how much distance they had put between us," said one of the 
boys to the other. 

"By Jove ! you are right ; so they have. We will have to pull in our line and row 
faster, or they will round that bend in the shore and we will lose sight of them." 

"Most likely their camp is right there, and when we turn the bend we will see a 
cluster of wigwams and hear a lot of dogs barking," replied the other. 

"Now we are out of sight, pull for your lives, kids," called Munro, a;nd the way 
Billy, Champ, Art, Caryl and Regis paddled was a caution. They fairly made the 
little canoes fly through the water while the girls were covered with spray from, the 
paddles. 



230. FRANCES AND THE IRREPRESSIBLES 

The second the canoes reached shore, every person was out, and with a few good 
strong pulls they drew the canoes up in the deep grass, and started on a run up the 
steep cliff, the one adjoining their cave. Once on top the bluff, they peeped over to 
see where their pursuers were, and they saw them bending their backs and rowing for 
dear life as they rounded the cape. Caryl, who was flat on his stomach looking over 
the cliff, told them all to go on, and that he would remain behind to see where the 
young men went when they landed. From his hiding-place he could see without 
being seen, and he watched them land thirty feet beyond where the canoes were hid- 
den. They examined the ground as if looking for tracks, but, of course, they could 
find none. Then they began to laboriously climb the steep bluff, but way beyond 
where the Irrepressibles had gone up. When they were nearly at the top, Caryl ran 
ahead and climbed into the tall pine tree, for from there he could watch them no mat- 
ter where they w^ent. But he had a surprise when he reached the top, for he found it 
already occupied by no less a person than Art, who had climbed up here and had been 
watching both Caryl and the young men in the boat. 

"Hush! here they come. Don't speak!" whispered Art. 

The young men came along so near the mouth of the cave where the horses were 
that it is a wonder that they did not fall in, and thus discover our young people's 
hiding-place, but they passed on, and, after wandering about for a while, finally 
turned around and retraced their way to their boat and rowed back to the hotel. 

As soon as they were out of sight. Art and Caryl climbed out of the tree, and 
went into the cave to tell the children that the men were gone, and that they could go 
out now without being seen. 

"Would you believe it?" exclaimed Frances, "we have been here nearly two 
weeks and our time for returning home is day after to-morrow !" 

"You can't mean it?" said Gene, "It doesn't seem as if we had been here five days 
yet," 

"Oh, I am so sorry I I hate to leave. We have had such a delightful time," said 
Beatrice. 

"Yes," said Lolita, "and probably one we will never have again. By next year 
we will all be scattered, who knows where." 

"Oh ! don't predict it anyway," said Gwendolyn. "It might make it come true." 

"Yes, but Lolita is right, for in all probability some of us will be in Europe with 
our parents, whether or not we want to go," said Munro. 

"Oh, bother Europe !" said Art. "I would rather come here. There is too much 
walking to do in Europe when you go sight seeing to suit me." 



AT BUENA VISTA FARM 231. 

"Walking is just what you need though, fatty, to keep you from turning into 
Barnuin's fat boy," said Billy. 

"Oh, go along ! I only weigh one hundred and twenty," 

"Boys, do you know what you will all have to do to-night, if you want anythino- 
to eat to-morrow ?" said Beatrice, coming toward them with a big blue gingham apron 
on and her sleeves rolled up, as she was helping get supper. 

"No, what?" they asked. 

"Why, go foraging and replenish our larder, for it is empty. You have eaten 
everything up but a few graham crackers and a can or two of tomatoes." 

"That will be fun, for we have not gone on a big foraging trip for ever so long, 
and, I say, all you girls turn out and go, too. It will be bright moonlight to-night, so 
you can see where you are going," said Billy. 

"Yes, and get caught," said Regis. 

"Indeed, we won't, and you will see that we make as good foragers as you boys," 
said Frances. 

"Let me suggest something," said Munro, "and that is, that we go in pairs. It 
will be safer for the girls and more fun than going alone ; besides two can capture a 
pig or chicken better than one. If the girls can't do anything else, they can watch for 
the farmer's dog or for the farmer himself, for that matter, while the other captures 
the game." 

"Again Munro shows his long head. • We all agree," said Champ. 

"Let's have supper now, so that we will be ready to start as soon as it gets dark," 
said Lolita. 

"All right!" every one said. And the way they made those dishes rattle was 
something to be remembered. 

"As soon as we get outside, we must all separate in couples and go in different 
directions, for by doing so we are not as likely to get caught," said Munro. 

"What are we going to try to get ?" asked Gwendolyn. 

"Anything we see to eat that we can lay our hands on to cook or use otherwise," 
said Billy. 

"But that will be stealing," objected Gwendolyn. 

"Oh, no it won't. Don't call it by that ugly word. It will be only appropriating 
the other fellow's things without asking his leave, but he won't care as we only want 
a little, and leave more than enough money under his door to repay him for all we 
take. We could just as well go up to his place and buy it, but then we would lose 
all the fun of foraging," said Munro. 



232 FRANCES AND THE IRREPRESSIBLES 

"We must all be back here by ten o'clock. Should any couple fail to turn up at 
that time, we will know something has happened, and we will all start out to look for 
them, and if they have been captured, help to release them," said Champ. "Another 
thing we must do, and that is, before we start, each couple must tell to which farm 
they intend going, so that we will know where to go and look for any that fail to put 
in an appearance at the appointed time." 

"All must dress in dark clothes," continued Regis, "so they will not be easily seen, 
and put some money in your pockets to buy yourselves free in case you are caught." 

"And every one must carry a knife, as it will come in handy to cut strings and 
straps should we get caught and bound," said Art. 

"Yes, and they are also good to stick the little pigs with if they squeal too much," 
said Caryl. 

"Billy, don't forget to take your little electric light. It might come in handy in the 
chicken-house," said Champ. 

"I wish I had one," said Regis, "but I forgot to bring mine. I have a little detec- 
tive's lantern though, and will carry that." 

"Let me suggest something," said Beatrice. "Let's wear our Indian costumes, for 
if we are caught we can more easily scare our captors by waving our tomahawks, than 
if we go as we are." 

"Capital idea, Beatrice," said Munro. "We will do it, besides if caught, we must 
give our signal of the night-bird's cry. Don't forget." 





(TbapterSS. 

FORAGING BY MOONLIGHT. 

BOUT two miles from the cave was a small settlement of Swedes, called 
Johnson's Corners : five houses, one general store, a blacksmith shop and 
schoolhouse. Between it and their camp were three or four houses 
scattered about a half mile apart, on a beautiful, winding country road. 
"Lolita and I will take in Pete Petersen's," said Regis. 
"Then Gene and I wall go for Farmer Oscar Ericsen's," said Art, 
"Frances and I will visit John Jansen's," said Caryl. 

It ended by Champlain and Beatrice, Munro and Natalie, Billy and Gwendolyn 
going to Johnson's Corners, while Art, Gene, Regis, Lolita, Frances and Caryl took the 
three farmhouses on the way that led there. 

The children going to the settlement started first, as they had farther to go. The 
others all walked along together until in sight of the road, when they separated and 
struck ofT in couples through the fields. 

While Caryl and Frances were walking through a field, Frances fell head fore- 
most over a little lamb that was fast asleep and did not hear her coming. 

"Say, Frances!" said Caryl, as soon as he could stop laughing, "what do you 
say to carrying off one of these little lambs?" 
"Say we do," replied Frances. 

This was easier said than done, and they chased the little creature from one 
end of the pasture to the other, it easily eluding them as it was a good dodger. At 
last they cornered it, however, and Frances tied her pocket handkerchief around 
its jaws so it could not open them to bah for its mother, and then the fun began ; 
for the gentle little lamb kicked like a full grown mule, and Caryl looked exceed- 
ingly funny trying to carry it, and groaning whenever it kicked him. Frances laughed 
so that she could hardly walk. Then she tried to carry it, but it wriggled so that she 
dropped it, and away it ran back to its mother. It was quite dark now, as the sun 
had been down a long time, and the moon had not yet come up, and the only way 

233 



234 FRANCES AND THE IRREPRESSIBLES 

they could see the lamb was by its white fleece. They nearly caught it, however, 
as it ran down a steep little bank, with Caryl close to its heels, in fact, so close was 
he that he ran straight into a little stream without seeing it, and before he knew 
where he was he was knee deep in water. But if the water was too deep for Caryl, it 
was deeper for the lamb, and so he easily captured it again. Then Frances held 
on to it, while Caryl fished out a good strong string from his pocket and tied it round 
the lamb's neck. With this they were able to lead it along, and at last succeeded in 
getting it to the cave without any more mishaps. 

As they approached the cave they saw another couple coming along the road, 
and they seemed to be carrying something big and clumsy between them. This 
turned out to be a clothes-basket full of vegetables that Regis and Lolita had picked 
and put in the basket so that they could carry them more easily. They had potatoes, 
turnips, squashes, cabbages and pumpkins. When they came within speaking dis- 
tance, Lohta said: 

''Oh, dear! my arms are almost pulled out of their sockets. Just Hft it if you 
don't think it is heavy." 

'T know it is, but I bet it wasn't any harder to carry than this kicking lamb 
of ours," said Caryl. 

"We heard a terrible commotion in the chicken house as we came along past 
Farmer Ericsen's, and I am afraid Art and Gene are caught, though I did not 
hear the night-bird whistle agreed upon," said Regis. 

"1 feel it in my bones that everything is not all right, and that they have been 
seen, if not caught," said Lolita. And she was right. They had been seen but not 
caught. 

Art had gone into the chicken-house and had just taken hold of a couple of 
chicken legs, but alas ! one leg belonged to one chicken, and the other leg to another 
chicken beside it. They were roosting with one leg drawn up under them; conse- 
quently, when Art grabbed them, both chickens commenced to flutter, squawk and 
peck at him, and in his surprise at getting two instead of one, he lost both. The 
chickens, crazy with fright, set up such a cackling that it attracted the attention of 
the farmer, who was coming home from the settlement, and he came out in a hurry, 
thinking weasels were after his chickens. Art heard him coming just as Gene gave 
the signal from the outside. Gene ran away from the chicken-house and hid in the 
corn-crib, while Art threw himself on the earth floor behind a pile of straw, close 
to the lower board of the house. The second he rolled against this board, he felt it 
give way and commence to open, and he found that by rolling over, it would let 



AT BUENA VISTA FARM 235 

him out, for it was nothing more or less than a swinging door to let the chickens 
in and out. As the farmer stepped into the house, Art quietly rolled outside into 
the yard, where he lay, while the farmer looked all around inside and kicked the 
straw about to see if anything was hiding under it. Finding nothing, he returned 
to the farm-house, thinking that the two hens he saw very much flustered on the 
floor had fallen off their perch unexpectedly in their sleep, and the commotion had 
been caused by their trying to fly back again. So he went to bed. Art crawled 
back by the way he had come out. Grabbing a chicken by the neck, he gave it a twist, 
as all experienced chicken thieves do ; captured another fat pullet and treated it in 
like manner; then out into the farmyard, whistling for Gene, who emerged from 
the corn-crib, bringing a peck measure full of luscious-looking yellow pippins that 
the farmer had put on a shelf to ripen a little more. They soon reached the cave, and 
all sat down to tell their experiences while waiting for the return of the others. 
The hands of the clock pointed to ten minutes of ten. 

"It is time that some of those who went to the settlement were returning," said 
Art. "I am going to throw myself on these blankets and sleep until they come." 

Ten minutes to ten grew to be ten minutes after , and still no sound or sign of 
any one returning. 

"If they are not here by half past, we must go and look for them. Probably 
one couple has been caught, and the others are staying behind to help them out," 
said Frances. 

Frances was partly right in her surmise. The three boys had been caught. 

When they had reached the settlement, they discovered that a little back window 
to the store was open; and by one of them stooping and the other standing on his 
back, they could reach the window and squeeze through. By the time two of them 
were in, the girls had found an old box that they placed under the window so that 
Munro could crawl through, but it was a tight squeeze and he only got in by Billy 
and Champ pulling at his shoulders and the girls pushing from behind. The girls 
were to stay on the outside to take the things as they were handed out. As soon as 
the boys were inside they had tried to unlock the door, but found they could not do 
so, and so they passed everything through the window. First they took three 
baskets with handles which they proceeded to fill with coffee, sugar, tea, eggs and 
butter. Billy spied a jug of molasses and passed it out to Gwendolyn. Champ saw 
another filled with vinegar and he passed this out to Beatrice, while Munro handed 
out a side of bacon. Just as he gave this to Natalie, Beatrice whispered, "Hush ! 
I hear some one coming ! Jump back into the store !" The three girls dropped 



236 



FRANCES AND THE IRREPRESSIBLES 



through the cellar window of the store, and landed on a pile of coal which made 
a terrible racket as it rolled over and over, carrying them along with it. The coal 
had scarcely stopped rolling when two men, carrying lanterns, came around the 
corner of the store and the girls heard one of them say: "I tell you I saw in the dim 

light three or four men trying to climb 
into the window. There ! I told you so. 
The window is open and here is a box un- 
der it." 

"Hush ! I thought I heard some one 
speak inside," said the other. 

''Rattle-te-bang ! clatter-te-clash !" re- 
sounded a terrible noise through the silent 
store. The boys had fallen over a tin wash- 
boiler and upset a pile of plates. In try- 
ing to find some place to hide, they had 
stumbled into the corner of the store 
where the Swede kept his crockery and 
tinware. 

"Gee whiz! but I should hate to be 
caught," said Billy. "It would just kill 
my mother, for no one would believe that 
we were just doing it for fun, and not 
stealing." '' 

Champ pulled some rolls of calico 
from a shelf and climbed back of them. 
Munro was too large to hide on a shelf, so 
crept under the counter and held a clothes basket up in front of him; while Billy 
squeezed himself into a nearly empty flour barrel. They were barely hidden when 
they heard the grating of a key in the lock, and knew some one was coming. Billy 
could not see a thing from his hiding-place in the barrel, but Munro could see, 
through the chinks in his basket, the light traveling along the wall and ceiling as the 
two men hunted for the robbers. 

"Come out, ye bloody blackguards!" said one Swede in a voice he tried to make 
sound fierce, while in reality he was shaking with fear. 

They stormed around, hitting and punching things generally, and talking loud, 
with a great many swear words mixed in, as if they expected their harsh language to 




GWENDOI^YN HAMILTON. 



AT BUENA VISTA FARM 



237 



scare out the burglar or burglars as the case might be. When they hit the pile of 
calico Champlain was hidden behind, it sent out such a cloud of dust that it made him 
sneeze. This scared the two cowardly men so that they bumped against each other, 
while their teeth fairly chattered. Champ believed it was all up with him after 
giving this provoking sneeze, so he thought he would fight his way out, trusting to 
his wits to escape from the stupid Swedes. The first thing he did was to kick all 
the rolls of calico off the shelf, and while they were flying in all directions, he crept 
to the end of the counter, where he stood up, made a dive for the open door, and 
he ran plump into the arms of one of the men. When the men saw that it was only 
a boy and not a man they had caught, they became very brave and were going to 
hit him over the head with a stout wooden club one of them carried, when suddenly 
their lantern was kicked over, and the man who held the club was jumped upon from 
behind, and before he knew it his hands were tied behind him. All this had been done 
by Munro, who, seeing the plight Champ was in, came to his rescue. At this point, 
Billy, who was nearly smothered in the flour barrel, raised the lid, and stood up, 
all white with flour, his hair sticking straight up, and his little electric light in his hand. 
Seeing this, the other man thought he was a ghost, for whoever saw a white figure 
rise out of a closed barrel with a light in its hand? He turned and fled just in time 
to run smack into the arms of Regis, Caryl and Art, who had come to see why the 
boys did not return. They had arrived on the scene only a few minutes before, just 
long enough to pull the girls out of the coal-bin and hear from them that the boys 
were in the store, and that two men had gone in after them. It took but a moment 
to bind the man they had caught and carry him back into the store, where they 
tied him to a chair beside his friend. All this was done by the light of Billy's little 
electric pocket lamp. 

Before leaving, the boys stuck a roll of money in the pocket of the Swede who 
owned the store, telling him it was for groceries they had packed in their basket; 
then they gave him an extra bill not to give a description of them, and to keep still 
about the affair, and not tell who had been in the store. The two men were per- 
fectly satisfied with the money the boys gave them, and said they did not mind being 
bound until morning as the ropes were not tight, and they knew their wives would 
find them at daybreak. Beside if they were found bound, they could make out a 
more plausible story to tell at church the next Sunday morning, where any little 
news out of the ordinary was hailed as a blessing by these country people, who saw 
nothing but their animals from one week's end to another. As they sat there after 



238 FRANCES AND THE IRREPRESSIBLES 

the boys had left, they made up an exciting tale to tell of how three big fierce-look- 
ing robbers had bound and beaten them after carrying away their goods. 

After the children had settled with the men they went out of the store and shut 
the door after them. In an hour or so, they were all back at the cave talking over 
what fun they had had since morning. 

Two days after the foraging party, Estelle with the four little tots arrived at 
the cave, while Miss Amelia and Miss Elizabeth followed in the big carriage, with 
John lagging behind them all in a market wagon. They had come to help the children 
break camp and pack up some of the beautiful Indian relics and expensive furs they 
had divided equally among them, counting out a big pile as a gift to Miss Amelia 
and Miss Elizabeth. 

They arrived just before dinner and were to stay until the following day so that 
the little children could have the pleasure of sleeping one night in the cave, and 
seeing all the wonderful secret passages and the hidden river that flowed through 
the cave. 

Dorothy had not been in the cave twenty minutes before she wanted to wear 
an Indian costume, so Estelle dressed her in one, while Miss Elizabeth put one on 
AHce Roselia. They were the cunningest little things you ever saw. As soon as 
Graveraet and Robert spied them, they too wished to be made up as Indians. When 
the four were all rigged out with feathers in their hair and the tomahawks in their 
belts, Munro took them outside and took a kodak picture of them. 

When they came back, Dorothy snififed up her little saucy nose and said, 'T 
smell somesing dood tookin' and it makes me hungry. Oh ! Oh ! what are 00 doin' ?" 
she cried, when she turned toward the big chimney and saw hanging by one leg 
a little pig roasting over the fire, while Natalie and Beatrice kept turning it so that 
it would cook and brown evenly all over. They were cooking the pig Indian fash- 
ion — whole, and every one agreed with Dorothy that it did send out a savory odor 
and made one hungry. 

Miss Amelia asked if she should not help them get dinner by cooking the 
vegetables, but they declined the offer, saying she was company and would not be al- 
lowed to do a thing. 

Then Beatrice suggested that Munro show the visitors around the cave while the 
rest got dinner. They consented to do this, but not until Misses Amelia and Eliza- 
beth had laughingly admired the boys in the big gingham aprons they had put on while 
assisting the girls to get dinner and set the table. 

"Gee! but that porker is hot!" said Champ, as he took hold of the tail to try 



AT BUENA VISTA FARM 239 

to hold it still while Beatrice fixed the apple is was holding in its jaws, that was 
about to fall out. 

"Say, has any one seen a dish for the apple sauce?" called out Art. "It is 
done and I can't find any dish big enough to put it in. This apple sauce, young 
people, is made out of that particular kind of apples that Lolita had to pick by moonlight 
because she lost her bet about the canoes." 

"I don't want to do and look at de tave," said Dorothy. "Ise too hungry to 
walk. I want to sit here and watch Uncle Champ burn hims finders." 

"Oh ! you cruel little girl, you ! If I do, I shall make you kiss them to make them 
well," he replied. 

"I don't tare! I'll tiss um for 00 if 00 wants me to." 

"I am going to stay if Dorothy does," said Alice Roselia in a very positive voice, 
seating herself on the same pile of skins Dorothy was sitting on. Thus deserted, 
Robert and Graveraet also declined to go look at the cave, so Estelle, Miss Amelia and 
Miss Elizabeth went without them. 

Presently, a suppressed giggle was heard coming from the pile of skins where 
the little tots were, but when Beatrice turned to see what they were laughing at, every 
face was straight, but all eyes were dancing with mirth, and William was seen to 
move away with a dish partly hidden under his coat. Everything was still for 
awhile, when William was heard to whisper, "There now, I can't give you any more," 
and Gwendolyn, turning quickly, discovered that he was feeding the four little tots 
apple sauce from the dish he had taken off the table. He did it just to see them sit 
there with their mouths open like a nestful of robins, waiting to see who should 
get the next worm, only in this case it was a spoonful of sauce. To tease them, he 
would just touch the lips of one and then quickly pass to another. 

"Oh, you naughty boy !" Gwendolyn exclaimed, "to feed them from the dish on 
the table!" 

"Oh, that is all right I Anybody would be willing to eat after such sweet little 
birds as these." 

"Dinner will be on the table in a minute," said Frances, "so you had better go 
and call Munro and Art." 

Presently, he came back, saying, "Oh, for goodness' sake ! Let's have dinner 
without them, for that goose, Munro, has taken them out on the lake in the sailboat 
and I am too near famished to wait for them." 

"You are joking," said Frances. 

"No, I am not ; but I wish I was." 



240 FRANCES AND THE IRREPRESSIBLES 

"Munro must be crazy to take them sailing so near dinner-time." 

"Here, Caryl, take this horn and go to the top of the cliff and blow it as loud 
as ever you can. That will let them know it is time to come in," said Natalie. 

"The children are so hungry, I say we give them their dinner first," said Beatrice, 
"and then we can give them our undivided attention, and by the time the others come 
back, they will be through and can go out to play." 

"That is just what we will do," said Lolita. 

"Come here, Dorothy, Alice Roselia, Robert and Graveraet, and get some potatoes, 
celery, and turnips. But what will they do for meat? for we don't want to cut our 
little pig yet. He must first make his' appearance whole on the table, all garnished 
with parsley, sweet herbs and wintergreen berries," said Frances. 

"I don't want any dinner wivout a piece of piggie," said Dorothy, "Ise a bid dirl 
now, and me is doin' to wait and eat wiv oo all." 

"Oh, Dorothy, will you ever stop using baby-talk and mixing your grammar up ?" 
said Gwendolyn. 

"No, I won't, even if oo is my make believe mamma." 

"Oh, let her talk baby-talk all she wants to. I love to hear her, and the more 
mixy she talks the better I like it," said William. 

"Oo loves me, don't oo. Papa Willum? Gwendolyn is a cross mamma, amn't 
her?" 

"Very well then, if you want to wait for the others you will have to get hungrier 
and hungrier," said Eugenea, "and Alice Roselia and the boys are going to eat without 
you." 

"No, I ain't," answered Alice Roselia. "I am going to eat when Dorothy 
does." 

"So am I," said Robert. 

"And me too," said Graveraet. 

"Did you ever see such children? I believe if Dorothy went without her supper 
they would want to do the same," said Gene in disgust. 

"They have landed and will be here in a minute or two," announced Caryl, com- 
ing from the bluff with the horn in his hand. "All they have to do is to climb the 
secret stairs." 

"If that is the case let us have dinner on the table when they come," said 
Natalie. 

First the pig was put on a large platter in the midst of dark green winter- 
green leaves with the scarlet berries shining brightly against them, while in his mouth 



AT BUENA VISTA FARM 241 

was a round, rosy apple. Thea came heaping dishes of mashed potatoes, white as 
snow, that Billy had worked at until they were as fine and as soft as snow itself. 
Other vegetables followed. Then, there were bowls of brown gravy, clean white stalks 
of crisp celery, and moulds of cranberry sauce. 

"Oh ! oh ! oh ! what an attractive looking table, and how good that steaming hot 
dinner does smell!" said Miss Amelia, as her eyes fell upon it when she first pushed 
back the curtain that hung before the entrance. 

"Where did you get those pretty purple wild china asters this time of the year?" 
asked Miss Elizabeth. "I thought they were all gone." 

When dessert was brought on, Estelle complimented them on their pumpkin 'pie, 
saying that she never ate such delicious crust before. ^ 

The next day they all returned to Buena Vista Farm. 





Chapter 34. 

THE PICNIC. 

HREE cheers for the Misses de Neveu !" called Regis on hearing that Miss 
Amelia and Miss Elizabeth were going to give them a hay-ride, followed 
by a picnic. 

"Hip ! hip ! hurrah !" chimed in all the other children. 
"When is it to be?" asked Gene, who had just come in to dinner 
and so had missed the first part of the conversation. 
"To-morrow ! to-morrow ! Think of it ! Isn't that splendid, to have it so soon ?" 
asked Frances, who was all excitement over the prospect of a hay-ride of over eight 
miles, to a particular spot on the shores of Lake Winnebago, where all their evening 
corn-roasts and marsh-mallow-bakes had taken place the year before. This spot was 
situated on a clear, sandy beach, surrounded by trees that made a lovely curtain to 
screen any one from the view of persons passing along the road, while the thick 
underbrush afforded a dressing-room for them when they wanted to change their 
clothes and go in bathing, which they always did, as the beach here was ideal, being 
free from stones and slanting gradually into the deeper water. The smaller children 
loved this as it gave them a chance to walk in and get wet little by little with no fear 
of pitfalls or ridges that would precipitate them into deep water unexpectedly. 

"Oh, Miss Amelia! Do go early and give us time to go in paddling before 
supper, won't you?" asked Gwendolyn. 

"Are we going to take our dinner or supper ?" asked Art. 
"Oh ! supper ! supper !" they all cried, "so we can come home by moonlight." 
"Just as you please. It does not make any difference to Miss Elizabeth and me, 
what time you go." 

"Let's take a vote on it," said Munro. "All who are for going so as to have 
dinner raise their right hands." 

Not a hand went up but Gene's. 

242 



AT BUENA VISTA FARM 243 

"Put your hand down," said Champ, grabbing it and jerking it down. "You 
know you don't want to go to dinner." 

"Of course I don't. Who said I did?" 

"Why did you put up your hand then.'"' 

"I thought he said, did not want to go to dinner." 

"Well! he said it the other way round, but, of course, as usual you were not 
paying attention," said Champ. 

"How many want to have supper?" again asked Munro, and all hands went up, 
with Gene holding both up this time to make up for her former mistake. 

So it was decided that they were to go to supper, starting sharp at half after 
three to give them plenty of time to drive the slow farm horses there, and still have 
time to go swimming and paddling before they commenced roasting the corn, baking 
the potatoes, and boiling the coffee for supper. 

All the rest of the afternoon and the next forenoon, they were busy preparing 
food for the picnic, for there were chickens to kill and broil, and such broilers! 
Every child was allowed a chicken apiece, which was not a bit too much for their appe- 
tites when on a picnic, especially as these chickens were so young they were not 
much larger than fat quails. 

"Oh ! won't it be fun coming home by moonlight ?" said Natalie. 

While the boys helped to pick the chickens, the girls helped to bake pies and 
cakes, stuff eggs, bake beans, and to chop potatoes for potato salad, and all went 
as merry as a wedding bell, the children singing at the top of their voices half the 
time. 

There was one thing the children especially liked about Miss Amelia and Miss 
Elizabeth, and that was that they never said "Hush !" or "Don't make so much noise !" 
as so many grown up people do, never thinking that it is as natural for children to 
howl and scream at the top of their lungs as it is for a dog to bark when happy. 

When they went to bed that night they each added a little phrase to their prayers, 
that ran something like this, "Please, God, don't make it rain to-morrow until after 
we have the picnic." 

He certainly must have heard their prayer for a more beautiful day never dawned 
over Wisconsin, and the breezes were filled with the scent of sweet clover and newly 
mown hay. 

At a quarter of four the hay load was ready to start, with every child in place, 
nestled in the hay beside the one he liked best, with Miss Amelia and Miss Elizabeth 



244 



FRANCES AND THE IRREPRESSIBLES 



in a carriage with all the provisions, ginger ale, lemonade, and fruit packed round them 
•so tightly that they could not move. 

Mother de Neveu, with the rest of the guests, stood on the porch to wave them 
good-bye. Every dog on the place set up a howl at not being allowed to go, and 
they nearly pulled their heads off trying to squeeze them through their collars, Hero, 







1 


£mm~ ^ % 




1 

1 


^£-Mi^ft^^ \: 


" % jfeBW|i 


' ---yJ^S^^^^I^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^l 


« mr "^r.jS^^i, ^Mtt^^^^MfcuZj ' ' f *- 





AT A QUARTER-OF-FOUR, THE LOAD WAS READY TO START. 



the big St. Bernard, upset his dog-house and came pulling it along after him until 
stopped by one of the men. It did seem a shame not to take them, but they were such 
a bother. They would crawl through the fences into the pastures and chase the 
cows and sheep they saw peacefully grazing, or kill any stray chickens they saw wal- 
lowing in the dust of the road. 

The four youngest children were in the middle of the load, so they could not 
fall off when the wagon went up or down hill, and they were enjoying themselves 



AT BUENA VISTA FARM 



245 



greatly by throwing hay on each other. It was a great treat for them to be allowed 
to go with the older children, but the best of all, they thought, was the coming home 
after dark, so long past their bed-time. They must be really big to be allowed to 
stay out so late. 

"Oh, John ! can't you drive a little faster ? We are awfully tired going on a 
walk," said Regis. 

"I can, but you will get shook up awful," replied John in his bad grammar. 

"Never mind. We can stand it." said Billy. 

So John whipped up the horses and purposely drove in the ruts and over stones and 
sticks to shake them up, so they would not want to trot, for he was thinking of his 
horses. But he was reasoning without his load. The more he jolted them, the more 
they laughed and enjoyed it, though it did make their chins shake and their teeth 
chatter. Finally he drove Prince and Colonel on 
a trot down a steep, stony hill which shook them 
up so it gave some of them a side-ache, and they 
at last asked him to walk his horses. In going up 
the opposite hill, part of the load slipped off, carrying 
Gene, Frances, Gwendolyn, and the boys that were 
sitting beside them with it, landing them in the 
middle of the road, still on the hay. This they con- 
sidered lots of fun, and the other children quite 
envied them their mishap, and tried their best to 
make their part of the load slip off likewise. 

Presently they saw the sparkling waters of 
Lake Winnebago, dancing between the trees before them, and some of the boys jumped 
off and ran ahead. And what do you think the boys did? They hurried into their 
bathing suits, and when the girls came up they were bobbing up and down in the water 
like so many corks. 

"Hurry ! hurry ! hurry in !" they called. "The water is lovely and warm," and 
when Miss Amelia and Miss Elizabeth arrived they found every child in the water, 
even to the little tots who were paddling in the shallow water, their clothes tied up 
around their waists, while Estelle, as usual, was sitting on a log watching them 
and keeping an eye on all, as she always played little mother to the crowd. 

"Ouch! ouch!" cried Alice Roselia, jerking her little foot out of the water, show- 
ing a crawfish biting her little pink toe. Of course, when she saw this, she was so 
frightened that she screamed, lost her balance, and toppled over into the water, going 




COLONEL AND PRINCE;. 



246 



FRANCES AND THE IRREPRESSIBLES 




PADDLING IN THE SHALLOW 
WATER. 



clear under. Every boy and girl made a rush for her ; even the boys that were out 
swimming, commenced to swim half under water so they could reach her sooner, 
while Estelle ran into the water with all her clothes on, quite forgetting that she was 

dressed. In a second she was being carried to shore in 
Estelle's arms, with the other children following. The 
other three little tots had hold of hands for mutual 
protection, and were stepping high for fear a craw- 
fish would get them. Presently, Dorothy spied Wil- 
liam and she called out, "Papa Willum,. tome and 
tarry me out." She had always called him "Papa 
Willum" ever since they had played house and she 
was his and Gwendolyn's child ; so William came and 
carried her out on his back, while Papa Munro carried 
his boy, Graveraet, on his shoulder, and Papa Regis 
carried Robert. When they got out, they found that 
it was time to build the fire and commence supper. My! how good the coffee did 
smell as the aroma floated to their nostrils, making them more hungry than ever. 
With many willing hands to help, it did not take long to set the table, bake the pota- 
toes, and have everything ready. Just when they were all nicely seated, Munro 
jumped up and said: 

"Hold on ! before you eat any thing and upset the looks of the table, I want to 
get a snap shot of you all." 

"Oh, darn your old snap shot ! I am too hungry to wait," said Regis. 
"I wish kodaks had never been invented, for people are always stopping and 
hopping out of carriages to take a beautiful view, an old cow or something else, when 
you are in a hurry," said Art. "Billy and I got sick and tired, when we were 
abroad, of kodaks, for there was an old maid along who stopped the whole party 
about every mile to take a picture she thought was going to be 'a dream/ but when 
developed turned out to be a nightmare." 

"All ready! Look pleasant," called Munro. 

And immediately every one looked as unnatural and stiff as could be, except 
the little children who were too young to feel conscious. 

"Oh, for mercy's sake ! everybody pretend to eat, or do something, and don't all 
look right into the kodak. Look as if you didn't know that I was going to take 
your picture," said Munro, who had quite an artistic eye for posing. 

"How is this?" said Regis, and he struck a position like a dude, with a napkin 



AT BUENA VISTA FARM 247 

ring stuck in one eye to represent a monocle. This made them all laugh and Munro 
took advantage of this and snapped the shutter and the picture was taken. 

"Oh, Munro ! Why did you snap it when I had my mouth open and eyes shut, 
laughing?" said Beatrice. 

"I can't help it, and I am very sorry ; but the picture as a whole will be 
good." 

The way those hot broiled chickens and roasted corn disappeared down red 
lanes, it would have done you good to see. Miss Amelia had brought a large cov- 
ered deep roasting pan, and had put the chickens in it and thoroughly heated them 
through, which made them much more tasty than if eaten cold. 

They were nearly through supper, when Dorothy spied something crawling under 
the table cloth. "I see a snake. I do." 

"Where?" they all exclaimed and began to jump up. 

"Under de table tloth." 

The boys looked and saw a long, squirming, wiggling thing moving under the 
cloth. They got sticks and hit it and when they raised the cloth they found a large 
dead black snake. When the commotion had subsided, Natalie said, "Where is 
Graveraet? I don't see him." 

"For mercy's sake ! There he is wading in the water," said Lolita. 

"Graveraet, come here !" called Natalie. "Don't you know it is naughty to walk 
into the water with all your clothes on?" 

His only reply was, "Graveraet don't you know it is naughty to walk into the water 
with all your clothes on?" 

"Now, Graveraet, don't mock me by repeating what I say, but come right here. 
We are going home soon." 

But Graveraet only walked in farther, and to her repeated pleadings, turned 
a deaf ear. He was a regular duck and loved the water passionately, and it was never 
too cold for him to enjoy it. He had a funny habit of repeating what was said to 
him. He did not mean it to be impertinent, as some children would, but did it first 
from habit, and then to tease, as he saw it bothered people, for he was a born tease 
like his father. He had formed this habit when he first began to talk by having 
his German nurse read or speak in German to him, and then have him repeat it, so 
he could not see why he should not do the same way with his English. 

They used to tell a funny story about him of how one day his mother said to 
him, "Graveraet, do you want a glass of milk?" and he repeated, parrot-like, 
"Graveraet, do you want a glass of milk?" "Please, Graveraet, tell mamma. Do 



248 FRANCES AND THE IRREPRESSIBLES 

you wish a glass of milk ?" and with a perfectly sober face, not moving a muscle, he 
repeated, "Please Graveraet, tell mamma. Do you wish a glass of milk?" in exactly 
the same tone and with the same inflection his mother had used. Now, he was older and 
was repeating out of pure mischief to bother Natalie. 

"Graveraet, don't wade out any deeper. You will get drowned," called Natalie, 
in a frightened voice, but the little rascal walked on, pretending not to hear her. 

Presently, Munro saw what he was doing and came running to the rescue. In a 
jiffy, he had his shoes and stockings off and, rolling up his trousers, he waded in 
after the little mischief. 

Graveraet, hearing some one splashing in the water behind him, turned to see 
who it was, and when he saw Munro, he knew he would be caught and carried 
to shore ; but he thought he would give him a chase, so ran farther and farther into 
the water. Of course, he stubbed his toe and fell head-first, going completely under 
water, as Alice Roselia had done when she fell. This made two wet children in a 
day. He was immediately undressed, wrapped in a blanket and his clothes hung on 
a bush to dry by the bonfire. They soon dried and by the time, he was dressed 
again it was time to pack up and go home, for the sun was sinking out of sight behind 
a big, purple cloud that lay low in the west, leaving long, golden streamers of light 
behind it. As it sank to rest, the big silvery moon appeared in the east as if it were 
a prearranged plan that as the sun disappeared, the moon should appear so that the 
earth would not remain for a moment in darkness. 

The children noticed this, and Frances said it looked "as if the sun and moon 
were on strings. You pulled one and the sun disappeared. You pulled the other 
and the moon appeared." 

"My ! isn't that a fine, large moon ?" asked Munro. 

"Yes, it is beautiful," said William, "and I am glad that they have at last found 
a woman in the moon instead of that ugly old man they used to be always talking 
about. It never looked the least like a man to me, anyhow." 

"Nor me either," spoke up Beatrice;" and this woman's head is so pretty, and 
twice as plain to see as the man's face was." 

"I never could find her," said Caryl. 

"Neither could I," said Champlain, "until one night I went out and lay flat on 
my back on the lawn and stared up at the moon until I found her. I had looked 
so many times and could not find her, though I nearly broke my neck twisting it 
around to see, that I made up my mind I would discover her then if I stayed out all 
night to do it, and, my gracious ! when I did see it she was so plain, that I felt ashamed 



AT BUENA VISTA FARM 249 

to think I had been so stupid, and now I can't see anything else but her whenever I 
look at it." 

"Just my fix!" said Art. "But I was looking for a full-faced lady and this one 
only shows her profile and one shoulder." 

"Come, children. Here is John with the horses. You can study the moon as 
we drive home." 

"I wants to sit by John and help him dwive," said Dorothy, 

"So do I," chimed in Alice Roselia. 

"No, let's get in the middle and make a deep nest," said Robert and Grave- 
raet. 

"Yes, that will be the best place," said Estelle, "for you might fall ofif and we 
would lose you in the dark." 

"Yes, we might get loosed in the dark. Wouldn't dat be too bad?" said Dorothy, 
"and when 00 dot home, mamma and Debba would say, T told you to be careful and 
not let anyfing happen to my darlin' and now 00 has loosed her.' " 

"Don't say 'loosed,' " said Alice Roselia, "say 'lost.' " 

"No, I won't," replied Dorothy, whom it always made angry to correct. 

"Now we are coming to a farmhouse ; let's sing a college song as we pass," 
said Munro. That started it and they sang song after song, only stopping once, and 
that was when John ran over a pig that had gone to sleep in the road. As for the 
little tots, they had gone fast asleep, and they never knew it. One by one their little 
heads drooped lower and lower, until with a gentle pressure William put Dorothy's 
head on his knee, while Robert laid his head on her lap and she had one of her little 
hands tucked under his chin. Graveraet and Alice Roselia were asleep in each other's 
arms in the middle of the load, stretched out as comfortably on the sweet smelling 
hay as if in their little white beds at home. 

The picnic was voted a decided success and a vote of thanks was tendered Miss 
Amelia and Miss Elizabeth and Miss Estelle. 



Cbaptet 35. 

THE CIRCUS 



THERE was an old disused barn on the farm that had formerly been used to 
put the overflow of hay in, when there was a big crop, and under the 
mows was a hard ground floor. This barn the Irrepressibles decided 
to decorate with pine boughs, autumn leaves, strings of red peppers and 
clusters of yellow squash and pumpkins, and then give a regular circus 
performance to end their summer on the farm, before they went back to 
the city to school. 

The audience were to sit in the hayloft, which was to serve as a gallery, and the 
sawdust ring was to be made on the ground floor. In this way all could have a good 
seat and still be out of the way of the performers. They were going to have perform- 
ing dogs and ponies, high hurdle-jumping, clowns riding, or trying to ride, a greased 
pig, trapeze performances, fancy boxing, and dozens of other things, and all to end 
with a mmstrel show. This could all be seen for the small sum of twenty-five cents, 
as the circus men say. The Irrepressibles were to ride their own ponies or horses. 
Robert and Graveraet were to drive their pony cart, and Dorothy and Alice Roselia, 
with the twins behind, were to drive a two-seated goat-cart around the ring. After 
which their owner, Hugh Brooks, was to put the goats through some fancy driving 
turns. 

Graveraet and Robert were to be dressed in pink tights, wear boxing gloves and 
do some boxing that the older boys had taught them. 

With the Irrepressibles, to decide to do a thing was to do it, and the way those 
ponies, dogs, and pigs were put through their paces would have made you catch your 
breath with admiration, for their energy and perseverance. If they made their horses, 
ponies, and pets go through their exercises often, they also went through their own 
quite as often, to perfect themselves on the trapeze and in boxing matches. If little 
Robert and Graveraet got too vehement and struck each other too hard, while prac- 
tising, and got mad enough at each other to pull hair, the big boys patted them on the 

250 




The Football Boys 

(251) 



AT BUENA VISTA FARM 



253 



back and called them "big boys" and said, "Oh, you must not cry or get angry. 
Only little boys do that. You are too big to cry when you get hurt," and so the breach 
would be passed over and they would box each other on the side of the head without a 
whimper. But the funniest thing to see was Caryl and Arthur trying to ride the 
greased pig, for its squeals could be heard half way to Fond du Lac. Once Arthur 
got three quarters of the way round the ring, by holding on to the pig's ears, before 
he fell off, and then the pig ran up against a post and scraped him off. Caryl stuck 
on two minutes once, by winding his legs around the pig and crossing his feet under 
him and hanging on to his tail. 

While some of the children were practising, the rest of the Irrepressibles sat in the 
hay loft and clapped and stamped to their heart's content, while waiting for their turn, 
and I really believe they got more 
they did at the final perform 

The day of the per 
and a large crowd attend / 
thing they heard as 
barn was the cries of • 
shows, which were held 
side of the barn. 

"Right this way, lad 
the fat lady from Bombay 
world from Russia," called 
voice as he stood on a rickety 
The fat lady was none other 
face highly painted until no one 
with his clothes all stuffed out with bran 




fun out of it at the rehearsals than 

ance. 

';* formance was beautiful, 

ed the show. The first 

they approached the 

the criers for the side 

in small tents at either 



HUGH BROOKS 
AND HIS GOATS 



ies and gentlemen, to see 
and the tallest giant in the 
Tom Tatters at the top of his 
box outside of the first tent, 
than Caryl in a blonde wig, his 
would have recognized him, and 
His arms were literally encased in two bran 
bags and when squeezed they felt just like flabby fat. He asked the audience to 
pinch him to prove that his fat was really fat and that he was not stuffed out with straw. 
Beside him stood Munro, on stilts slipped up his trousers legs. He was dressed as a 
Cossack with a high fur hat that touched the top of the tent. 

Outside the second tent stood Billy dressed as Brother Jonathan, sitting on an old 
chair calling out, "Don't forget to spend your ten cents to see the lion eat the cat 
without either giving a squirm. Come, come, ladies and gentlemen, to see this won- 
derful feat." 

The lion was Hero, the big St. Bernard dog, with the mask of a lion on his head 



254 FRANCES AND THE IRREPRESSIBLES 

and his body sheared. The cat he ate was nothing but a ginger bread one, so you see it 
was true that neither of them squirmed. 

"Don't spend your money to see those fool things the other criers are calHng you 
to see, but come to my tent if you wish to get your money's worth," called Regis. "Here 
is where you will see the renowned Mrs. Jarley's wax works, just imported from Lon- 
don, at a great expense for this especial show. One group represents Mary, Queen of 
Scots, when she first discovers Rizzio asleep on her stairs. The other the burning of 
Joan d'Arc at the stake." Dorrie was the queen, coming down an improvised flight 
of stairs made out of a lot of packing boxes piled on top of each other and covered by 
a strip of rag carpet. Rizzio was Arthur dressed in a velvet suit holding a mandolin, 
asleep at the foot of the stairs. Beatrice and Gwendolyn were the queen's maids of 
honor, standing behind her on the stairs, dressed in old-fashioned dresses, with Eliza- 
bethan ruches on their gowns and strings of pearls around their necks. 

"Don't, don't, I say, waste your money on those trashy side tents but walk right 
by them into mine, where you will see something worth seeing. The dancing bears 
and the wood nymphs," called Hugh Brooks. 

These wood nymphs were Dorothy and Alice Roselia, dressed as nymphs with 
wreaths on their heads, while the bears were the twins dressed in skin-tight bear skins, 
which left only their little faces sticking out of the bear's face and they certainly did 
look cunning as they danced around with their stubby tails wagging behind them. 

While most of the Irrepressibles were taking part in the side shows, before the 
regular performance commenced, Frances, Natalie, and Eugenea were seeing to the 
seating of the guests who did not care for the side shows. 

Every seat was taken and all the standing room gone before the band struck up its 
first tune. The band was composed of the boys our children played football with. 

First, like in every circus, came the procession of horses with the performers on 
their backs. To do this, the side shows had closed ten minutes before the time for 
the regular performance to begin, so as to give the children time to change their cos- 
tumes. When the band struck up a march, a two seated little goat-cart all decked 
out in ribbons and flowers dashed into the ring with Graveraet driving, and Alice 
Roselia sitting beside, while on the back seat sat Dorothy and Robert, Dorothy holding 
a pink-rose parasol. Behind them came the two big St. Bernards drawing a chariot, 
with Marquise, Arthur's little cocker spaniel, dressed as a lady, standing with her 
front paws on the dashboard. Behind them came Buff and Scott, the two Scotch 
collies belonging to Frances and William, drawing a little cart in which stood Teddy 
Roosevelt, dressed as a dude with a high paper collar, silk hat, red vest, gaudy watch- 



AT BUENA VISTA FARM 



255 



chain, checked trousers, high patent-leather boots, and with a cigar in his mouth. 

Beauty, Beatrice's white poodle, was dressed as a fussy lady with Chiquita, Gwen- 
dolyn's little Mexican dog, dressed as a baby in long clothes with a little red cap tied 
under her chin. 

After the procession of dogs had passed out, Munro and Frances on their horses, 
followed by all the other children on theirs, came galloping in amidst a blare of trump- 
ets. The girls were dressed in spangled dresses and big picture hats, from which 
ostrich plumes waved with every turn of their heads, 
while the boys were dressed in knee-breeches and lace, 
with swords at their sides. After much turning and 
circling, they rode out, and in came the clowns who 
tumbled and turned handsprings and made every one 
laugh, but the audience fairly split their sides when the 
greased pigs were brought in and the clowns tried to 
ride them. 

Next on the program were the bareback riders, who 
jumped through paper-covered hoops. Frances and 
Gene dressed in tights and gauzy white skirts all be- 
spangled and starred, were the riders, while Munro was 
ring master, wearing high-top boots, dress coat, and, 
of course, with the regulation long-lash whip in his 
hand. 

After this a red carpet was spread on the sawdust, 
and in walked Beauty Carpenter on her hind-legs, dressed 
as a skirt dancer, and Buff Armour, Lolita's Boston 
terrier, dressed in a little blue velvet jacket with gold 
buttons, white satin trousers trimmed in gold lace, and 
the cunningest little top boots you ever saw. They 
walked very slowly and in a dignified manner, the whole 
length of the carpet, where Arthur and Caryl set chairs for them, where they remained 
while Marquise and To-To walked the length of the carpet, arm in arm. Marquise 
had on a train dress with a white lace shawl thrown over her shoulders and a straw 
bonnet trimmed with pink roses, tied under her chin. To-To was dressed as an elderly 
man, with a beard, and he looked as if he had a full beard and side whiskers, for his 
ears had the appearance of whiskers. With them walked Chiquita, dressed as a little 
boy. He was supposed to be their child, and last came Teddy Roosevelt, decked 




MARQUISE, COCKKR SPANIEL, 
ONE OF THE SHOW DOGS. 



256 FRANCES AND THE IRREPRESSIBLES 

out as a rough-rider with a big sombrero on his head, rough-rider suit, and 
spurs on his feet. And what do you think he was doing, but pulling a toy horse on 
wheels behind him. The. children had tied a string round his legs, which drew the 
horse after him in fine style. 

After they had all walked the whole length of the carpet and been given chairs. 
Beauty got up and twirled round on her hind legs, going through some dance steps. 
Then Buff stood on his head and went through some other monkey tricks, followed 
by Teddy Roosevelt, who jumped hurdles which were raised higher and higher, 
and at last was put on the toy horse he had been pulling, where he sat as if riding 
him, and was drawn from the ring. The other dogs were put in a little wagon that 
was drawn by Bufif and Scott, two beautiful collies belonging to Frances and the 
Libby boys. Then Bufif and Scott returned to the ring, and their eyes were blind- 
folded while some one in the audience was requested to step into the ring and hide 
a thimble anywhere and they would find it. This they did repeatedly, both dogs 
barking all the while they were looking for the thimble. They enjoyed it so, that they 
were almost beside themselves with excitement. 

The dogs were followed by all the boys dressed in tights ; they performed on the 
trapeze, doing all sorts of difficult things. This part of the program was closed by 
Robert and Graveraet having their boxing match. 

There were a great many other things on the program, such as they always have at 
a circus, and the afternoon performance closed with a minstrel show, which called for 
ten cents extra, from those who wished to witness it. 

Nearly every one remained, and while the people who did not care to stay were 
moving out, a platform was set on the sawdust in the middle of the ring and nine 
chairs set on it. In filed Arthur dressed as a gold-dust twin, Caryl as a fat darky, 
Gwendolyn as Aunt Jemima, and Frances and Alice Roselia as her children, while 
Eugenea, Beatrice, William, Munro and Champlain helped form the group of darkies 
called the Coon Town Band, the same that had appeared in the vaudeville. 

After taking their seats, the boys played on banjos, mandolins, violins and trom- 
bones ; while the girls sang, the boys joining in the chorus. This ended with clog 
dancing, and they at last filed out, two by two, to the cake-walk steps, and thus ended 
the greatest amateur circus performance that had ever been held on the farm. The 
proceeds of this performance, added to what they already had in the bank, made the 
purchase of the automobile a certainty. 

As the audience filed out. Art, Caryl and Regis called out : 



AT BUENA VISTA FARM 257 

"Ladies and gentlemen, take one more glass of 

Ice-cold lemonade! 
Made in the shade, 
Stirred with a spade, 
By an old maid, 

and drink to our healths, and that we mav all meet again next rear at 



u 



2>ear ®15 Buena Dista jFarm." 



FRANCES T REGO MONTGOME RY'S BOOKS 

BILLY WHISKERS "^'^^ ^°^^ story which made this author first popular. 

' " A clever book, both in conceit, story and illustration. The goat is 
highly original and able to keep everybody about it pretty lively." — Louisville Lourier-Journal. 

BILLY WHISKERS' KIDS, a sequel to the former book. 

' JNo one ever read or or met a more mischievous pan- of kids 
than those of Billy's. The children will greatly enjoy following the fortunes ot these jolly kids." — 
Chicago Record-Herald. 

BILLY WHISKERS, JR.. Jhe third and last volume of the -BillyWhiskers series." 

' ' there is not a child, it is safe to say, but who will go into rap- 

tures over this story. It is well written — the pictures are great and all in all, it is a top-notcher- 
in its class."^ Providence Neivs. 

All three volumes handsomely illustrated in colors by W. H. FRY. Each story complete in 
itself. Boards, 4tos ; $1.00 each. 



THE WONDERFUL ELECTRIC ELEPHANT, T^is is a rattling story of ad- 

' venture and exciting incidents. 
The electric elephant is the most marvelous animal that ever traveled aiound the world."— y\ ra' 
York American. 

Fifty full-page half-tone illustrations by CM. COOLIDGE. Cloth, i2mo; $1.50. 

ON A LARK TO THE PLANETS, a sequel to the former book, equally interesting. 

' Here is a book which will while away a couple 
of dull hours and be closed with satisfaction and regret. The author is to be congratulated on her 
literary creation." — Fiftsburg Pres';. 

Illustrated in colors by WINIFRED D. ELROD. Cloth, l2mo ; $1.50. 



FRANCES AND THE IRREPRESS- ^n umisually interesting story, telling of the 
ir»i cf AT niicR.iA \itcfL r-An.x many adventures and experiences ot 1- ranees and 
IdLcS A I dUENA vista FARM her glrl and boy friends at Buena Vista Farm. 

There is nothing fictitious about the story, — the 
children are real, the pets and animals and even the farm itself is real. A dozen full-page illustra- 
tions with eighty smaller text illustrations, all reproduced from photographs of the little people 
and their pets who figure in the story. Cloth, 4to ; $1.50. 



CHRISTMAS WITH SANTA CLAUS a charming story of a few days spent with 

Santa jnst a week before Christmas. He picks 
up two little waifs and takes them to his northland home, shows them the many wonderful people, 
and playthings that are kept there in store. 

Beautifully illustrated in colors by RUTH MARY HALLOCK. Boards, 4to; $1.00. 



A}zy of the above sent postpaid on receipt of price, by 

THE SAALFIELD PUBLISHI\G COMPANY, Akron, Ohio. 



f 










♦^-"^ 

















v-^^ 
.5.*^^^ 






















.!b'>. 








/^>, 



^^'^^ 




•^n< 



»°-nfe 



*ci' 







'^"V ./V^^^V^^ '^V^^'^V X'^^'^^V' 








o » o ' ^ 











"W^ .- 






'^^^^^' 
.♦^-V. 



.^•^ .* 




^^'\ 




a5» vr». 




















. ...... ,'- ^^0^ 



^^•^^ 



^o 




O > 



* A 



*•*'% 

















1* 'U.jS* 












'^o 





